Adivi Sesh On Meeting Sandeep Unnikrishnan's Parents: We Were In Presence Of People With Immense Strength

Telugu actor Adivi Sesh will be seen playing the role of 26/11 martyr Sandeep Unnikrishnan in the upcoming bilingual biographical film 'Major'. The actor's first meeting with the late soldier's parents, K. Unnikrishnan and mother Dhanalakshmi, is still fresh in his mind.

The film, directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, will release in Hindi and Telugu and be dubbed in Malayalam.

Recalling the day he met the Unnikrishnans in Bangalore, Adivi tells us, "We knew that we were in presence of people with immense strength. It's one thing to experience the death of loved one but it's another thing to speak about it constantly to other people in a way that it gives strength and inspires others. This was my first takeaway from meeting uncle and aunty and that they are so strong that they are able to inspire me by speaking of their own loss."

The terror attacks in Mumbai's Taj Palace hotel is still remembered as one of the darkest days in history of the country. While Shooting such scenes can have an impact on any actor but for Adivi, this experience was about something else.

"I am not at full liberty to discuss the final pragmatic moments of the film but I do feel that anything related to the attack, we kept getting emotional reminders from people that how important it was that we were telling his story. To have his (Sandeep Unnikrishnan) perspective of this attack, to have his perspective of his schooling years, it just kind of gives a different colour to it in every way. It's viewing everything through the eyes of this one man, including the tragedy that happened," he says.

Since the film traces Sandeep Unnikrishnan's life from his school day and through his days in the Indian Army, Adivi had to physically transform himself to look the part.

Talking about the changes he underwent, the 'Goodachari' actor says, "When we started off, I started at 88kgs for a guy who is 6'2. At different times, I have to be at the weight of 75kg, 78kg, 79kg and 81kg. To play Major Sandeep at different ages and that is visible in the film in a very subtle but cool way where you see that as he gets older, he is a bit heavier and as he is younger he is a bit lighter."

The film, which marks Adivi's debut in Bollywood also stars Saiee Manjrekar, Prakash Raj, Revathy and Sobhita Dhulipala in pivotal roles.