Shershaah Teaser Talk: Sidharth Malhotra Stars As Kargil War Hero

The first look of Dharma Productions' Shershaah, a biographical war-action film starring Sidharth Malhotra, dropped earlier on Thursday. The feature is based on the life of the late Captain Vikram Batra, a 24-year-old commander of the Indian army, who valiantly fought in the 1999 Kargil War.

The one-and-a-half minute teaser includes real footage of the Kargil War – India's first televised war – interspersed with film footage. It also features a clip of Captain Batra, who reveals that the code name given to him was 'Sher Shah.' He adds that his department's success code was 'Yeh Dil Maange More' – a popular Pepsi slogan in the 90s. There's also a clip of journalist Barkha Dutt, who had reported the war, on-ground, amidst explosions.

According to reports, Sidharth Malhotra will play a double role in the film – taking on the roles of Captain Batra and his twin brother Vishal. The teaser, however, only discloses his look as Captain Batra as he walks out in uniform with a backpack, as if taking in his surroundings. The teaser ends with him, rifle in hand, in the battleground.

The film was announced in 2019 and initially scheduled for a theatrical release in July 2020 before the pandemic postponed its release. It marks the Bollywood directorial debut of Vishnuvardhan, who has previously helmed several Tamil-language superhits like Billa and Arrambam. The film's cast includes Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Jaaved Jaffrey and Shiv Panditt. Co-produced by Kaash Entertainment and written by Sandeep Srivastava, it will release on Amazon Prime Video on August 12.