Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 16, 2019)
Mirror was the first to report (July 24) that Ajay Devgn, who plays Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik in the upcoming war-drama Bhuj: The Pride of India, will shoot for his introductory scene and an action-packed climax in the Mandvi district of Gujarat. Now, we have learnt that Ajay was joined by TV actor Mahesh Shetty as his co-star during the Gujarat schedule.
“I play Ajay sir’s brother, Laxman Karnik, in the film. It’s a real-life story about two brothers stationed in Bhuj during the 1971 Indo-Pak war,” says Mahesh, describing the shoot as one of the most beautiful experiences of his acting career. “Working with Ajay sir is a tick mark off my bucket list,” he smiles.
The Gujarat schedule of this Abhishek Dudhaiya directorial, which also features Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt, Parineeti Chopra and Rana Daggubati, kicked off on July 24 and concluded by mid-August. “We shot at real locations, including the airport in Mandvi. The whole war set-up for filming included as many as 700-800 extras and several aircraft from that era, which made it easier for me to act,” the actor shares.
The film is based on a true story with the 1971 Indo-Pak war as the backdrop. Devgn’s protagonist is inspired by the real-life Karnik, who was in-charge of the Bhuj airbase, which remained operational despite heavy bombings during the war. Mahesh informs that he had to do his share of research for the part. “The Bhuj airstrip is one of the most famous stories around the war, so of course, I was aware of it. But I had to do extensive homework to play Laxman convincingly. Knowing a lot of people in the air force came handy. Since the film is set in a different era, I met a lot of veterans from the force. Abhishek Dudhaiya was extremely well-prepared, which made work relatively easier,” the actor reveals.
A major chunk of his portions has already been shot. He bagged the film through several rounds of auditions. “Given the hard work that has gone into it, I expect the best,” he concludes with a smile.
Working with Ajay Devgn sir is a tick mark off my bucket list-Mahesh Shetty
