Keerthi Chakra (film)

Major Mahadevan is an Indian Army officer deputed to the National Security Guards (NSG). His native place is in Kerala. He has been assigned to counter-terrorism duties in Kashmir and commands an elite group of NSG commandos. He is always supported and encouraged by his superior officer, Colonel Dutta who is an honest officer. He calls back his buddy Havildar Jaikumar from his honeymoon because he has information about major activities of the militants; he feels Jai is needed for the team. Jai's native place is in Tamil Nadu. The commandos raid a mosque in civilian dress and seize a big collection of arms and explosives. Havildar Jai's wife Sandhya informs him over telephone, that she is pregnant with his child.

Later, during an operation focused on some cottages near the Dal Lake, a commando Kishori Lal in the team is killed and an outraged Jai shoots down a captured terrorist who challenges the commandos. Athira, a human rights activist learns about this and threatens to file a complaint with the government. She later understands the situation and the sincerity of the commandos and decides not to proceed with the complaint.

Meanwhile, a group of terrorists from Afghanistan and Pakistan conspire to hit the Hazratbal Shrine with a missile as they think this will create unrest in the region and that the Indian army will be blamed. They hijack a house that offers a good vantage point on the shrine and plants the missile there. Some of them rape a girl in the house in front of her family and shoot a boy who protests. A military patrolling vehicle hears the gunshot; as they approach the house, they are fired upon. The patrolling team intimates the NSG, and Mahadevan and his team immediately join the battle.

After a long operation, the team kills the terrorists, frees the civilian hostages and disarms the missile. But a civilian informs that the leader of the terrorists is not to be seen among the corpses, and the commandos goes to find him in the house. They locate the terrorist and Mahadevan recognises the man as the one who killed his wife Sreekutty and daughter. The terrorist is killed but he tries to shoot at Mahadevan. Mahadevan is covered by Jai, who gets hit by the bullet and dies. Jai is awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously. Later, Sandhya gives birth to his son. She visits Havildar Jai's grave, along with his son.[3]

Major Ravi, a retired officer of the Indian army, planned a film on Kashmir militancy based on real-life incidents while he was under duty in counter-terrorism activities in Punjab & Kashmir. He wrote the film which reveals the actual mode of working of Islamic terrorist groups within India: their recruitment, training, target choosing, terror strikes, propaganda, and how Indian armed forces tackle the attacks via its special services forces. The movie develops with this backdrop and tries to convey the dedication and selfless service defence personnel exhibit while on duty.

Ravi got R. B. Chaudhary of Super Good Films, a major production house in Tamil Nadu, to produce the film.[4] The film was re-shot and released Tamil as well. Chaudhary's son Jiiva was cast in a major role in the film. A few additional scenes were shot for the Tamil version, Aran. The filming was predominantly done in Srinagar and Pollachi.[4]

The soundtrack has songs composed by Joshua Sridhar and Sajid-Farhad, penned by Gireesh Puthenchery, Sajid-Farhad and Pa. Vijay[5][6]

The film was released on 4 August 2006.

Kerala State Film Awards

• Best Screenplay - Major Ravi

Asianet Film Awards

• Best Feature Film on National Integration
• Best Actor - Mohanlal
• Best Director - Major Ravi
• Best Star Pair - Jiiva and Gopika

The film spawned two sequels—Kurukshetra (2008), Kandahar (2010) and one prequel 1971: Beyond Borders (2017)—directed by Major Ravi and Mohanlal reprising his role with new supporting cast in each film. While Kurukshetra was a commercial success at the box office, the other two was not that well received critically and commercially.

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