 Director JP Dutta denies cashing in on patriotic fervour |
In 1999 there were fears of all-out war between India and Pakistan when fighting broke out in the Kargil sector of Indian-administered Kashmir. Now, for the first time, a Bollywood blockbuster on the conflict has opened to Indian audiences.
The film is called LOC: Kargil, referring to the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides Kashmir, the region claimed by each of the nuclear rivals.
The movie takes audiences to the snowy heights of Kargil district, where soldiers from both nations fought and died.
Unsurprisingly, it taps into a surging vein of Indian patriotism, although the director, JP Dutta, denies he is cashing in on patriotic fervour.
 |  It was a unique battlefield... it was like fighting in mediaeval times  |
"My job is to reflect my times and my times tell me that my neighbour's problem is the biggest problem we have. My country is disturbed all the time because of him. His country is disturbed all the time because of us".
But like most of the 40-odd actors in the film, Suneil Shetty says the film is an act of patriotism.
"It's a tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives for our country," he says.
However, he insists it is "not an anti-Pakistan film".
He says it is "an attempt to make people realise a brother killed his brother. The war shouldn't have happened."
Caught off-guard
Bollywood films remain extremely popular across the border in Pakistan, which raises fears about audience reactions there to LOC.
However, Abhishek Bachhan, another of the film's actors and the son of Bollywood's legendary star Amitabh Bachhan, says Pakistanis will probably appreciate the film.
 Abhishek Bachhan says Pakistan should appreciate the film |
"They'll respect what soldiers have done. This film has nothing to do with just undue patriotism," he says.
The movie portrays the life of soldiers and their commitment to their country, whether India or Pakistan, he adds.
"We witnessed it ourselves," says Abhishek. "When we interacted with army personnel during the film shoot, we saw them showing a great amount of respect for whoever they were fighting."
The film covers the hardship of the Indian army as it is caught off-guard in the initial phase of the conflict and suffers heavy losses.
India believes Pakistani soldiers entered its territory in an act of betrayal during a period of peace negotiations.
JP Dutta says he wanted to convey the remarkable victory achieved by the Indian soldiers in the worst of circumstances.
He says Kargil, at 18,000 feet above sea level, was the world's highest battlefield, where the thin air made it hard to breathe.
"It was a unique battlefield. The two new nuclear powers were involved in hand-to-hand combat. It was like fighting in mediaeval times."
No certain formula
Two of Dutta's recent offerings, Refugee and Border, have also glorified the Indian soldier.
 Heroine Esha Deol was proud to be given a role in LOC: Kargil |
Many believe that patriotism may be Bollywood's salvation at a time of falling box office sales.
Recent blockbusters, such as Lagaan and Ghadar, were unashamedly patriotic, but were set during British rule.
However, industry analyst Amod Mehra warns that the formula does not always work.
"After Ghadar, Anil Sharma made a film called The Hero. It was supposed to be another patriotic film but it failed miserably.
"Even when we made films on the legend Bhagat Singh, they failed. There is a very big risk as far as patriotic films are concerned. You don't have a formula of success. Even in Hollywood, The Longest Day was made with the biggest star cast and it didn't work."
Just like The Longest Day, LOC: Kargil has an unusually long cast.
There are more than 30 major male actors and 13 of Bollywood's most popular women actors.
Esha Deol, one of the heroines in the film, says she is proud to be part of it.
"I would have worked on the film even if Mr Dutta had given me a two-minute role," she says.
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