Sashi Kiran Tikka: Research For A Film From Web, Books Limit You

Director Sashi Kiran Tikka's next cinematic offering is the biographical drama based on life of Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was martyred during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. While the film 'Major' gives an insight into the dreadful event, it also brings on screen the life of Sandeep, his growing up years and training days.

For this, the filmmaker along with lead actor Adivi Sesh, who is also the writer of the film, went to various locations, including Unnikrishnan's school, his training camps, to get accurate knowledge about his life. The filmmaker feels it is important to do leg work for a film and not rely only on information provided on the internet and books.  

He tells us, "Sesh and I traveled sometimes together and sometimes by ourselves. We met people in Bangalore, Mumbai and Manesar. We did a lot of research. The Internet and books limit your visualisation. So we went in person to get touch and feel to know what all people and places meant for Sandeep. I went to hit Frank Anthony Public School, met his teachers, and sat in his classroom. So, it's really that important that you really have to feel what he did and what was the real environment that he experienced. That really helps the film."

Since the film is not just about the terror attacks and gives the backstory of Unnikrishnan's life, Tikka invested six to seven months into researching before going on floors. This also, in a way posed a certain challenge for the 'Goodachari' director.

"Our research was so extensive for a feature film, that to condense it into 2.5 hours format was quite hard. That itself was a challenge. To get into the spirit of Sandeep. It is not that easy to get into some personality. Sesh really worked hard and my effort was also to ensure that he was always Sandeep in all these years of making the film," says the filmmaker, who is collaborating with Sesh for the second time after the blockbuster film 'Goodachari'.