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New Delhi: There's a lot of chatter around the Bollywood film Dhurandhar and the buzz is that it drew inspiration from the life of a real-life hero. Even though the filmmakers have dismissed the talk that their movie was inspired by Major Mohit Sharma, one's curiosity is only natural. Did his life read like a script or was it more thrilling than fiction?
Mohit was born in Haryana's Rohtak in 1978. He was a multi-talented child and he was nicknamed "Chintu". He could master any instrument — whether it was the guitar, mouth organ, or synthesiser. In the Army, however, his friends and colleagues knew him by another endearing name: “Mike”.
He had an artistic flair. But Mohit also had a heart brimming with patriotism. He took admission in an engineering college, initially. However, soon after, he left it and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA). At NDA, his musical talent took a backseat. An athletic Mohit went on to excel as a champion horse rider, a featherweight boxer, and a top-class swimmer. His sporting excellence was acknowledged.
Major Sharma’s most remarkable achievement was a daring undercover mission. To infiltrate a terrorist group, he took on the identity of “Iftikhar Bhatt.” He grew his hair, sported a ragged beard, and mastered the Kashmiri dialect. Mohit also concocted a heart wrenching backstory about a brother gunned down by the Army, and portrayed a man driven by the desire for revenge.
He stayed with the terrorists and gained their trust. The terrorists devised terror plans with him. However, in a rare moment when they suspected him, Mohit didn't give in. He displayed enormous courage by dropping his AK-47 and dared them: “If you don’t trust me, kill me now.” As the terrorists hesitated, he drew his pistol, and neutralised both terrorists. Mohit's incredible act of bravery won him the Sena Medal.
In 2009, he guided his team through a dense Kashmiri forest, when they were ambushed. A relentless gunfire ensued. Despite the firing was on, Mohit crawled forward to rescue two wounded soldiers to a safe location. Even after taking a bullet to the chest, he didn't give up fighting and saved his men while killing several terrorists before making the ultimate sacrifice.
His "conspicuous bravery and leadership" was acknowledged. And Major Sharma was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime military honour.
Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar plunged into a huge controversy just days ahead of its December 5 release. The row broke out after the family of the late Major Mohit Sharma moved the Delhi High Court. They alleged that the film draws from the officer’s life without their consent. The espionage thriller has now become the centre of a legal battle.
The row revolving around the film Dhurandhar has brought Major Mohit Sharma’s name back into the spotlight. However, his legacy endures, irrespective of the film. He continues to live in our hearts as a timeless icon of passion, versatility, and unmatched courage.
