Got a chance to ape my idol, Mr Bachchan: Sidharth Malhotra on 'Mission Majnu'

Sidharth Malhotra said working on the 1970s-set espionage thriller Mission Majnu gave him an opportunity to "ape" his idol, megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

In the upcoming film, the Shershaah star features as an Indian intelligence agent, who leads a covert operation on Pakistani soil.

Citing the example of Sholay, Malhotra said he was chuffed to be part of a film set in the era where he could dress like Bachchan and also perform a memorable train stunt like in the 1975 cult classic, which also starred Dharmendra.

"The train scene is something we're pretty excited about as a team. It's the first time I've done an action scene on a train. So, I loved it. It adds to the thrill of the film. We're hopefully true to the genre and I hope people love it. I could ape my idol, Mr Bachchan (from Sholay)," the actor told reporters .

Malhotra was speaking at the trailer launch of Mission Majnu, directed by Shantanu Bagchi.

As the film is a spy thriller inspired by true events, it is not like the James Bond movie series, he said, adding that the makers tried to keep things "authentic".

"Mission Majnu isn't entirely an action film, but we do have sequences that are extremely thrilling.

"It's a spy thriller first, but our producers, director, and writers tried to keep it a little authentic in the real world, where spies don't come out all guns blazing. This isn't James Bond, but there are certain situations in the film where he has to resort to certain action sequences," the actor said.

Malhotra plays the role of Indian intelligence agent Amandeep Ajitpal Singh, who goes undercover as Tariq to pass on state secrets regarding Pakistan's nuclear capability to India.

The actor said his character is a mortal being who gets hurt during his mission.

"It's not a James Bond-like character that would live on. He is somebody that would get hurt or be stuck or wouldn't always have the technology (at his disposal) or an escape plane," he added.

"Mission Majnu" is set to arrive on Netflix on January 20, four days after Malhotra's 38th birthday.

"It's always exciting to present a film, and after many years it's in my birthday month. It's my birthday gift to all my fans... to entertain them on January 20th." Bagchi said the cast of the movie performed beyond his expectations. Rashmika Mandanna, Sharib Hashmi, Parmeet Sethi, and Kumud Mishra also star in the film.

"When a director knows what he's shooting, the most wonderful experience is when an actor goes beyond his expectations. You're expecting the scene to be at a certain level, but they go beyond your expectations, and it has happened many times on this film," the filmmaker said.

"Pushpa: The Rise" star Mandanna said she underwent a two to three-week intense training to do justice to her role of Nasreen, a visually impaired woman who marries Tariq (Malhotra). The actor made her Hindi debut with 2022's Goodbye.

"I had to start with my blindfolding myself and I reached a point where I had to cook without looking, count my steps, or catch a tennis ball. That was quite hard and intense. But, I realised, when one of your senses is taken away, your other senses are heightened," she added.

Hashmi, popular for his role as intelligence officer JK Talpade in Prime Video series The Family Man, said he is happy to be part of Mission Majnu, his first movie with Netflix.

"I can only say that I've got really good opportunities to work with really good people. This is my first film with Netflix and I can't control my happiness working with these people. I hope it translates into the film and people also like it. It's all the more special because my wife's birthday is on January 20 and her name is also Nasreen," he said.

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