The makers of Ishaan Khatter’s upcoming movie Pippa released the teaser last month, and it has generated a lot of buzz. But do you know what Pippa’s real story is?
Few films old, Ishaan Khatter hasn’t been around for long. But even in the few films that he has done, he has never failed to prove his mettle as an actor. Versatile in all their stories and themes, his upcoming film is no different. Pippa is a film based on the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, something that we have never seen Khatter do before. But even apart from the novelty of seeing Ishan Khatter take on a challenging role, there is a far more interesting thing about this movie. Pippa is based on a real story and a real war hero. Let’s find out more.
What is Pippa’s real story?
Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, the real story of Pippa features the Battle of Garibpur that was fought during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 on the eastern frontier of India. The movie is based on real events and a book, The Burning Chaffees, by 1971 war hero Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta. Ishaan Khatter plays the role of Captain Mehta, who belonged to the 45th Cavalry Tank Squadron and fought on the eastern front during the war along with his siblings. The movie gets its name from the Russian amphibious war tank called the PT-76 (Palavushi Tanka), which was popularly known as “Pippa”.
Back then, the Indian Army was not familiar with this tank or how to fight in riverine terrain. The tank was designed like a boat with a three-man crew and was allotted to 45 Cavalry after the 1965 war. This tank went on to become a major contributor to winning the war, as it came across as a shock to the enemy.
In a conversation with The Tribune, Mehta revealed how the idea of the book had occurred to him. Right after the war got over, he had promised the tank crews from the way that someday he would publish a book about their valour, sacrifice and bravery. He was reminded of this promise much later in 2015 by Lt Gen Amit Sharma, then Colonel of the Regiment. That is when he resigned from his post as the Vice Chancellor of MUMT, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, and started working on the book.
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Siddharth Roy Kapur, the producer of Pippa spoke to The Hindu and said “We are honoured to bring audiences this inspiring story of the birth of Bangladesh, through the incredible journey of an Indian family on the frontlines.”
The film releases on December 2, 2022, and also stars Soni Razdan and Mrunal Thakur in the roles of Khatter’s mother and sister, respectively.
Hero Image: Courtesy screenshot from teaser, Featured Image: Courtesy Instagram
Sreetama Basu
A journalism student who studied the subject only to meet SRK in person, she settled for the best way to meet him. Covering Entertainment throughout her career, and now Food, Health and Lifestyle as well, Sreetama is also a self-proclaimed plant mom. In love with all things slow and quiet, she can often be found hunting for quiet corners with a glass of wine in hand. Other loves include little, inconsequential things, like neatly tucked-in bedsheets and big, significant things, like whole cheesecakes. She dreams of being a baker and writing about food someday.
