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All guns blazing in Paltan

THE DIRECTOR WHO is responsible for giving Indian cinema one of its biggest patriotic blockbusters is back again with his latest film, Paltan, which releases in the UAE this weekend.  JP Dutta, who made the epic Border in 1997,  is back with another thrilling war story based on the  1967 Nathu La and Cho La clashes that took place on the Sikkim border after the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Just like his other movies, this film too has an ensemble cast featuring Arjun Rampal, Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Harshvardhan Rane, Esha Gupta, Sonal Chauhan etc. The movie talks about the dedication of the armed forces stationed at the border. And, this time around, it seems Dutta's film won't focus on the heartaches soldiers go through - something featured prominently in most of his earlier war dramas. From the trailers, it's obvious that girls have very little to do in the film - it's a boys club! The cast and crew of Paltan were in Dubai recently to promote the film. 
We spoke to Rampal and Sood about the challenges of shooting the movie in extreme conditions (-28 degree temperature) and also the pride of wearing an army uniform.  Excerpts from the interviews:
 
Shooting in  Ladakh wasn't easy: Arjun Rampal
 
In his last film Daddy, Arjun played the role of Indian gangster Arun Gawli. This time, the actor is playing the commanding officer of 2 Grenadiers (an infantry regiment in the Indian Army). This is the first time that the former model and the National award-winning actor is playing an army officer in a movie. 
 
What inspired you to sign Paltan?
I think the story is so important but it was never told to us. It was hidden from all of us. This film is about the India-China clash. It (the clash) is a very important part of history. It is a true story and I love true stories. I wanted to play an army officer in a movie with a genuine story. Moreover, JP Dutta has such a great command on this genre. I play Lt Col Rai Singh, the Commanding Officer of 2 Grenadiers, who played an important role in the 1967 Indo-China clash at Nathu La along the Sikkim border.
 
What were the challenges that you faced while shooting in extreme conditions in Ladakh?
It wasn't easy to shoot on the rough terrains of Ladakh. But once you know what you have to achieve, then you have to tackle the obstacles. Tough conditions teach you how to reach your destination. The reason we shot in tough terrains is because the army operates in tough terrains. It was important for us to experience army life. We could have shot it (the scenes) in a studio, but it wouldn't do justice to the movie. We didn't wear any other clothes than army uniforms. Extreme conditions can change you physically and emotionally.  You see your body changing - physically. You see the movie star and the city boy inside (you) leaving you. You lose weight and become more fit. It works so beautifully. The physical transformation was amazing because it happened organically and naturally. We also used real guns and bullets and had to be very careful while using them. The world that JP  Dutta creates is amazing. The way he created the Chinese bunkers and flags were so authentic that the security people landed there. One day, the Chinese came to Ladakh and asked us what was going on there. We had choppers flying over us and we told them that it was just a film set and that we are shooting for a movie. 
 
Does wearing an army uniform make it easier to transform into the character?
Wearing a uniform makes it more difficult. Your body language changes and it helps you transform easily into the character because the uniform comes with a certain respectability. We had to make sure that we wore the cap correctly, our boots were polished and the badges were in place, but once you reach the set, you have to discover your own character and its nuances.
 
 
I always wanted to be a soldier: Sonu Sood 
 
Though Sonu Sood is in news these days for walking out of Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, he was very happy when he met us a few weeks back. He excitedly told us about the joys of working in his movies Simbaa and Manikarnika while talking about the wonderful experiences of working in Paltan. 
 
 
What inspired you to sign this movie?
I always wanted to be a soldier. I became an engineer and then an actor, but now I am glad I got an opportunity to play a soldier in this film. I always wanted to play a soldier. When you fight for the nation in the film, it makes you believe how important the role of a soldier is when it comes to your country. 
 
Why do you think patriotic movies have made such a huge comeback?
It's through these movies that you will understand how much soldiers must be missing their families while living under tough conditions. There is a chord that you need to touch with the audiences especially in patriotic movies. Every Indian loves their country so much. We are all so busy in our lives doing our own things, but it's only when patriotic movies come out that we realise how much the country is important for us and the things that we are supposed to do for our country. 
 
What were the challenges of shooting in Ladakh?
We were shooting in Ladakh with almost no oxygen for two-and-a-half months. We spent that time with real soldiers. They are part of the film and they are acting in the movie as well. When you land in Ladakh, you are supposed to stay inside your room for three days. You need to get acclimatised to the weather, you need to drink lots of water because there is no oxygen. But when I reached Ladakh, I went straightway to the set and everyone asked me if I was sure (about shooting). I could do it because of the years of hard work that I have put in the gym. I used to workout with the soldiers as well. I really had a great time shooting for the movie!
 
arti@khaleejtimes.com