Producers Ronnie Screwvala and Siddharth Roy Kapur have announced RSVP and Roy Kapur Films’ Pippa, starring Ishaan Khatter. The 1971 war film will be directed by Raja Krishna Menon. It is being written by Ravinder Randhawa, Tanmay Mohan and Raja Krishna Menon (Airlift). It will release late next year.
Ishaan will play war veteran Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta of the 45th Cavalry tank squadron, who, along with his siblings, fought on the Eastern front during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. It was with this battle, which took place in Garibpur, that India for the first time infiltrated and entered enemy land, thus leading to the liberation of our neighbour, Bangladesh. The film is based on the book, The Burning Chaffees, written by the Brigadier himself. Its unique title highlights the magnificent Russian amphibious war tank called the PT-76, popularly and lovingly known as ‘Pippa’, an empty ghee tin that smoothly floats on water.