How 'Ikkis' actor Vivaan Shah prepped for military role
Vivaan Shah, who plays Captain Vijendra Malhotra in the new war drama 'Ikkis,' really put in the work to look and feel like a soldier.
The film, based on the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal—who was martyred at just 21 during the 1971 Battle of Basantar—dropped on January 1 with Agastya Nanda and Dharmendra also starring.
From strength training to tank driving
Shah shared that he "had to consciously work on looking more mature," switching up his workouts to focus on strength training for a more military vibe.
He shared behind-the-scenes clips from tank training days in Ahmednagar, and has said the training included drills and that they even got to drive tanks.
Veteran uncle helped him with mannerisms
To get those army mannerisms right, Shah turned to his uncle, retired Colonel Zameeruddin Shah—a veteran from the 1971 Longewala battle.
All that effort paid off: war veterans praised his performance at the Delhi premiere attended by top Army officials.
If you missed it in theaters, 'Ikkis' is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video as of February 26.