Marking the death anniversary of Sandeep Unnikrishnan on 27th November, the team of ‘Major’ paid a tribute with a soul-stirring video, reminiscing the journey of making the film. Actor Adivi Sesh will reprise Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s character in the upcoming film ‘Major’, directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka.
Recalling the process of the film, Adivi Sesh recites the emotional tale of his experience, tracing the journey from signing the film to meeting Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s parents.
Sharing his first memory of Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Adivi Sesh says, “I can only say that he impacted my life from the first moment I knew about him. It was in 2008, I remember when I had seen his photograph, splashed across all the channels. I didn’t know what to make of it, I kept wondering, who is this man. There was some sort of madness of spirit in his eyes ‘aur hothon pe halki si hasi’, there was a madness and there was a smile, I couldn’t understand it. He looked like he could be one of my family members, an older cousin, and then I found out, he was Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and he’d given his life for the country. I couldn’t stop looking at that now-iconic passport photograph.”
Revealing the story behind the photo, Adivi shares, “I later found out from his parents that he was simply trying not to smile badly when he took the passport picture, he’d given this big wide smile. So the lips were hiding his smile but that madness in spirit was shining through his eyes and I think that’s what captivated me, and captivated most of India. I think that picture is very iconic, that is why they make so many paintings of that photo.”
About the journey of the film, Adivi Sesh added, “Ever since then, it’s just been a crazy number of many battles of trying to get this film made and making sure we do justice to how we’re doing this film and we’re still making the film.”
Explaining the importance of the day, Adivi Sesh said, “The film speaks about the way he lived, not about the way he died.”
Concluding his appeal, Adivi Sesh said, “I hope you like my humble attempt in trying to find the spirit of Major Sandeep within myself.” Directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, the bilingual film starring Adivi Sesh, Sobhita Dhulipala and Saiee Manjrekar will be released in both Hindi and Telugu.
Produced by Sony Pictures Films India in association with Mahesh Babu’s GMB Entertainment and A+S Movies, ‘Major’ is slated to release next year.