Danish Pratap Sood: We rarely explore the mental pressures that a cadet faces

Danish Pratap Sood on experiencing the army way of life for his role in Naam Namak Nishaan

Danish Pratap Sood had three compelling reasons to join Naam Namak Nishaan: fulfilling his father’s wish to join the army, the script itself, and the opportunity to play the protagonist. In the Amazon miniTV series, Sood portrays Gurbaz Singh Kahlon, an army cadet. “My father wanted to join the army but never got the opportunity despite trying several times,” Sood shares. He adds that, despite completing his MBBS, the opportunity kept slipping further away from his father.

While his father never pressured him to join the army, he did want him to experience the life of a soldier. “Several things drew me to the show, like the script, an [unexplored] subject, and the depiction of brotherhood. We often discuss how a war unfolds and how a cadet becomes an officer, but we rarely explore the mental pressures that a cadet faces [in the force]. I was intrigued by the idea of wearing the uniform. Playing the protagonist also pushed the envelope for me,” the actor shares.

Set against the backdrop of the esteemed Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, the show follows the journey of young cadets from all corners of the nation. For the role of a skeet rifle shooter, Sood worked on his demeanour and physique, and practised shooting. “I learnt shooting from international champion Shriyanka Sadangi. Shooting is about mental ability, and while practising, I learnt more trivia about guns. I also spent time in army cantonments to study army life and their daily regimen. The fitness routine was hard-core; I had to become athletic. I also took classes in basketball and swimming,” says Sood.

While he cannot divulge any details, Sood is set to start shooting for a horror film. “There is also a mockumentary that may come out by the end of the year. I have also composed the song, Kya karu, for Call Me Bae. It is a romantic, indie pop track, meant to amplify the romantic moments in the series. The creative control I had in finishing the song was thanks to Collin [D’ Cunha] and Azeem’s [Dayani] trust in our vision,” says the actor.

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