From shooting for Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta-starrer Lakshya to his upcoming film 120 Bahadur, he shares Ladakh as his favourite destination as he loves shooting in real locations rather than using green screens.
120 Bahadur is a biopic based on the late Major Shaitan Singh Bhati. (Photo Credits: YouTube)
Filmmaker Farhan Akhtar is currently busy shooting for his upcoming film on the Indian Army – 120 Bahadur. The film is a biopic based on a Param Vir Chakra awardee, the late Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, who played a vital role in the Battle of Rezang La in 1962. Now, the actor and filmmaker sat for an interview with a media outlet where he got candid about going the extra mile for his films. From directing Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta-starrer Lakshya to his upcoming film, 120 Bahadur, he shares Ladakh as his favourite destination as he loves shooting in real locations rather than using green screens.
During the interaction, he also shared his experience of shooting films like Lakshya and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag in Ladakh, which came with its own set of challenges. While speaking with the Hindustan Times, he said, “I love Ladakh and shooting at actual places is always preferred. Technology has come a long way, it’s a tremendous tool for filmmakers. The thing is, it was easier this time, as it became more production friendly.”
Elaborating further, the 51-year-old recounts the difficulties of shooting in Ladakh during the 2004 Lakshya. “When we went there to shoot Lakshya 20 years back, the infrastructure was very different. Getting to Ladakh was very difficult, the roads were terrible and there was hardly anything there. There were no mobile phones and communication was difficult during Lakshya’s shoot.”
“This time, things were simpler. I still remember everything that had to be shot the next day in Chang La Pass, would be discussed the previous evening. We couldn’t call the base and change anything while filming was on, none of that existed. It made a huge difference when we could this time,” he added.
Speaking about his return to Ladakh, Farhan also reminisces about his time spent filming parts of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) in the region. He expressed, “I went there to shoot a few portions of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag too in 2012. However, this time around, it was a proper long schedule. It was incredibly special and zero complaints about being there.”
The war drama directed by Farhan Akhtar is about the remarkable courage, heroism and selflessness shown by men in uniform in the face of adversity. 120 Bahadur depicts the journey of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati PVC and the heroic soldiers of Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, who fought at the Battle of Rezang La on November 18, 1962, during the Indo-China war.
Besides 120 Bahadur, Farhan Akhtar will also be directing the action franchise Don 3 with Ranveer Singh in the lead.
