Ranveer Singh is set to star as Major Mohit Sharma in Aditya Dhar’s upcoming film, “Dhurandhar,” bringing the incredible life of a decorated Indian Army Special Forces commando to the big screen. The film aims to chronicle the extraordinary bravery and covert missions of a hero whose actions fortified India’s security apparatus. Sharma’s story is not merely cinematic but a testament to real-life courage, destined to instill pride in every Indian.
Major Sharma is remembered among the Indian Army’s elite for his significant contributions to dismantling terrorism. In a highly classified 2004 operation in South Kashmir, he successfully infiltrated the Hizbul Mujahideen as ‘Iftikhar Bhatt.’ Adopting a long beard, a local Kashmiri accent, and a fabricated backstory of a deceased brother, he earned the trust of terrorists, becoming an accepted member of their ranks.
During this deep cover operation, Sharma gathered vital intelligence on the Hizbul network, its weapon caches, contacts, and strategic plans. Reports suggest he even ventured into Pakistan-occupied territory to collect crucial intelligence while embedded with terrorists. When suspicions arose about his true identity, he masterfully turned the situation, eliminating two dangerous terrorists and successfully completing his mission.
His valor was further etched into history during a 2009 operation in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Ambushed by terrorists in dense forests, his unit came under sudden fire, leaving four soldiers wounded. Disregarding his own safety, Major Sharma rushed into the barrage of bullets. He moved two injured soldiers to safety, and despite being shot in the chest, he eliminated four terrorists before making the ultimate sacrifice.
Beyond his military prowess, Major Sharma was a man of diverse talents. Born in Rohtak, Haryana, with ancestral ties to a village in Uttar Pradesh, he was a skilled musician, proficient in guitar, mouth organ, and synthesizer, often performing live. He was a top cadet at both the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). After joining the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), he quickly distinguished himself through his courage. He also served as an instructor at the Commando Wing in Belgaum, training many young soldiers for the Special Forces.
Major Sharma came from a family deeply rooted in patriotism and discipline. His parents, Rajendra Prasad Sharma and Sushila Sharma, instilled strong values in him from childhood. His elder brother, Madhur Sharma, witnessed his journey and struggles. Affectionately called “Chintu” at home, his comrades in the army knew him as “Mike.” His wife, Major Rishima Sharma, was also an officer in the Indian Army, forming an exemplary military couple. Though they had no children at the time of his martyrdom, his family, village, and the nation remember him as an enduring source of pride.
In 2009, Major Mohit Sharma was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime military decoration, for his “indomitable courage, exceptional leadership, and supreme sacrifice.” His name remains inscribed in golden letters in the annals of Indian Army history, a legacy now to be shared with a global audience through cinema.