Adivi Sesh on Major: ‘The legacy of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan has reached every heart from Kashmir to Kanyakumari’

In conversation with actor Adivi Sesh on the success of Major based on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and the announcement of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Fund for NDA and CDS aspirants. Adivi Sesh was very clear from the beginning that he doesn’t want to do a film for the OTT platform. He believes when one watches oneself on a big screen one has to lift their heads up and watch. “Sar utha ke dekhna parta hai’, but when you are watching a film on the laptop, Saar jhukake dekhna parta hai.” Excerpts from the interview:

On the success of Major.

The whole goal of Major was very simple. The legacy of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnanhad to reach every heart from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. It started with us meeting Major Sandeep’s parents repeatedly. It took seven meetings before Major Sandeep’s parents trusted us ten percent. Our sincerity paid off and we worked really hard for three years to make sure that we do justice to the great man’s memory and in the process we got so close to the family that the other day uncle (Major Sandeep’s father) messaged me and asked me ‘We are very happy. Are you happy?” This made me realize where the journey has come and we are family now. And they are more concerned about how I am feeling rather than how they themselves are feeling.

June 1st was a phenomenal moment for us because it was the Bangalore premier. Aunty (Major Sandeep’s mother) messaged me before the premier, “I am now draping the same sari that I wore twenty-three years ago on Sandeep’s graduation ceremony. I did it for him then and I am doing it for you now. I was so touched and my heart was so full. And it ended with aunty giving me a big kiss and me sitting on the floor in the manager’s room holding uncle’s hand as he mentioned that he is very proud of me. It was a very emotional moment for all of us.

What was the research that went behind the preparation of the role?

Uncle and aunty has a museum in their house which has got everything that belonged to Major Sandeep. His clothes, his favourite movie cassette and his audio cassettes so it was really helpful to get an understanding of the man. It was clearly easy to get a sense of who he is, what his sensibility was. And we did those recordings of uncle and aunty narrating the journey of Major Sandeep. We spoke to his childhood friends, his superior officers, his colleagues, the hostages, the younger officers that he trained, people in school, the principal. We visited the National Defense Academy too.

What his colleagues and fellow officers had to say about him?

Major Sandeep always had a big smile on his face. He was very positive and stylish. He wore branded clothing and was called Sandy by his friends and was very cosmopolitan. He was known for rescuing animals. Uncle mentioned that I wish I taught my son to be a little selfish.

On the Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Fund for CDS, NDA aspirant that you recently announced.

I am starting this fund with my own money. We have to get down to small towns and small villages and make sure we provide proper guidance to all of them so that they can get into NDA. We will be providing books to them so that they can study for it. I want to provide all possible resources to them so that they can become an armed force officer. Whatever town and city we start from we will get the local authority involved and the local military people involved so that we can do the seminars and workshops for the kids aspiring to join the forces.

What is that the hostages have to say about Major Sandeep?

One of the hostages he saved was a Telugu lady and she mentioned about how he saved her. She said that after spending two day and fourteen hours in the dark and smoke and when she saw Major Sandeep it felt like someone had come for her who looked like Mahavishnu. We didn’t put these things in a movie dialogue because people will think it to be filmy.

On the OTT boom

OTT is a very different way of storytelling and you have to be very clear when you start filming where you want the film to be showcased. You need to be clear whether it is going to be a big screen experience or a laptop experience because they are two very different ways of watching and enjoying cinema. Major was always designed as a big screen experience. I was very clear that Major is not going to be an OTT film.

Are you one of those actors who don’t relate to being an OTT actor?

Absolutely. In fact, shamelessly. When you watch yourself on the big screen you will have to lift your head up “Sar utha ke dekhna paarta hai’, but when you are watching a film on the laptop, “Sar jhukake dekhna parta hai. What Bhangra is to Punjabis, movies are to Telugus and I love watching movies in theatres.

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