Shataf shares his Jai Hind moment with us

Shataf Figar is on cloud nine. He has recently wrapped up shooting with Siddharth Malhotra for Vishnuvardhan’s Shershah — a film based on the Kargil War. While shooting, the actor met Lieutenant General

Yogesh Kumar Joshi

— the real-life Kargil hero, who Shataf plays in the film.

Meeting the

Lieutenant General

was also one of the proudest moments in Shataf’s life. “It was almost surreal. He shared a lot of anecdotes and war stories. I have never come so close to our armed forces before. Every moment of meeting him gave me goosebumps. He also arranged a light and sound show, Hall of Fame, in Leh. It was mesmerising. Watching our heroes there was like the Jai Hind moment,” the actor said.

“He was a Lieutenant Colonel during Kargil War. He was called Col Jo. He led the 13th battalion of the J&K Rifles in Dras. His battalion launched four successful attacks, including the one which is now called Batra Top after Captain

Vikram Batra

— the character played by Siddharth in the film. Doing this film was the most patriotic thing of my life,” Shataf told us. Captain Batra laid down his life and was awarded the

Param Vir Chakra

posthumously.

Talking about the adversities of the area, Shataf said, “It was freezing cold. We were shooting at an altitude of 12,000 to 14,000 feet. We struggled while climbing the mountains and even crossing the terrain. Breathing seamlessly is a challenge there. But we did it. The astonishing bit is, while we shot just for a few months, our brothers are practically living there for months to safeguard us from enemy. That is really inspiring,” he signed off.