Kabhi bhoot, kabhi battleground

Ishaan Khatter

Flitting from one universe to another is one of the many joys of being an artiste. Ishaan Khatter knows it well, as he gears up for war drama Pippa, after the release of Phone Bhoot. The horror comedy may not have set the box office on fire, but it's all a part of the learning for the actor, who says, "Phone Bhoot happened two-and-a-half years ago, when I was trying to find my groove. It was my first comedy. I wanted to see if my funny side could translate on screen. I hope it will be viewed by more people on OTT."

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Now, he is ready for a new battle. Director Raja Krishna Menon's Pippa, based on the 1971 India-Pakistan war, is an adaptation of The Burning Chaffees by Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta. For Khatter, the movie stands out for its sheer scale and depiction of patriotism. "Pippa is a big-screen spectacle. It was a dynamic experience to shoot the action scenes. It is a war drama told in a compelling and relevant way. It's a patriotic film in the true sense; it's not trying to be what it's not. It is a privilege to have done a film like this so early on in my career."

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While the Mrunal Thakur and Priyanshu Painyuli-starrer was originally slated to release this month, it has now been pushed to 2023 summer. What led to the delay? "The film is being worked on so that it can be in its best form before [reaching the audience]. Hopefully, there will be an announcement soon," says the actor, who recently shot for an MTV rap music video with MC Square to celebrate the ongoing FIFA World Cup.