How Uri Attack Ended Director Aditya Dhar's Career, How Uri The Film Made Him A Star

From the moment Operation Sindoor began and the Indian Army conducted fearless strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, there's been one phrase echoing through social media, headlines and every proud heart across the country: "How's the josh?" The answer, as always, booms back: "High, sir!"

It's hard not to recall Uri: The Surgical Strike, the 2019 blockbuster film that turned a similar military victory into cinematic power. It struck a chord instantly as it echoed the spirit of a new India, one that, as the saying goes "ghar mein ghus ke maarta hai".

The same spirit that returned in full force this week with Operation Sindoor. Directed by Aditya Dhar, Uri: The Surgical Strike retold the story of the 2016 surgical strikes with grit, glory, and just enough Bollywood punch to lodge itself into pop-culture permanence.

Sometimes, cinema captures a nation's pulse before the history books do. Uri did exactly that. So when the josh runs high, it's worth remembering how this film came to life, fuelled by conviction and courage.

The Sweet Irony: How Uri Was Born From A Lost Film

The story behind the making of Uri: The Surgical Strike is almost too ironic. The film that became a symbol of national pride was born from the very tragedy that derailed its director's dreams.

Aditya Dhar, then a seasoned screenwriter with years of quiet hustle, was finally stepping into the director's chair. He was all set to direct his debut film Raat Baaki, a glossy Dharma Productions romance with none other than the Pakistani star Fawad Khan and Katrina Kaif. It was sleek, star-studded, and locked in, until geopolitics came crashing through the frame.

In September 2016, the Uri terror attack stunned the country. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in Kashmir. What followed was a wave of public outrage and a swift ban on Pakistani artists working in India. Just like that, Aditya Dhar's dream project was shelved. The Uri attack that shook the nation had also quietly ended Dhar's big break before it began.

And then, 10 days later, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the border. Call it fate, irony, or cinematic karma, the very events that ended Raat Baaki gave Dhar his new story. The film that would define his career and resonate across the nation.

The Making Of Uri And The Spirit Of Josh

Aditya Dhar spent nearly a year crafting the script, ensuring every detail was authentic. With an army consultant onboard, the script was meticulously vetted and approved by the military. By September 2017, exactly a year after the surgical strikes, producer Ronnie Screwvala officially announced the film. 

For the lead, Dhar had an unexpected choice: Vicky Kaushal. Though the son of veteran action director Sham Kaushal, Vicky had never led an action film. In fact, he had no solo commercial hits to his name and was best known for understated roles in Masaan and Love Per Square Foot. He was still being labelled "the indie guy"- talented, yet not quite leading-man material.

But Dhar, who had met him earlier, saw beyond the resume. He believed in Kaushal's raw talent and unshakable drive. "People told Ronnie he was making a huge mistake in casting a lanky guy with no solo hits in a big war film," Aditya Dhar had said after the film's success. "But we believed in what we were building. We worked ten times harder to prove it's not about where you come from; it's about where you're headed." 

The role of Major Vihaan Shergill was waiting for Vicky Kaushal. But when the script landed at his door, he was deep into filming Raazi, ironically, playing a Pakistani army officer. After shooting a raw, emotional climax with Alia Bhatt, he came home, read the entire script in one sitting, but it didn't connect. He thought it was too technical and there were too much military details as he later recalled in many interviews. 

He left it on the table and went to bed. By the time he returned from set the next night, his father, veteran action director Sham Kaushal, had leafed through it. He realised his son is not really interested in the script. Sensing his son's hesitation, he simply said, "If you don't do this film, it'll be the biggest mistake of your life.

And just like that, the josh kicked in. 

The Prep Behind The Josh: Becoming Major Shergill 

When Vicky Kaushal signed on to play Major Vihaan Shergill in Uri: The Surgical Strike, his commitment went beyond acting. He wanted a deep dive into the grit and grind of a soldier's journey. Alongside actor Mohit Raina and a team of 20 other actors, Kaushal underwent one of the most intense physical regimens ever attempted for an Indian film.

Under the command of the 7th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, stationed at Mumbai's Cuffe Parade, the cast trained at naval bases in Cuffe Parade and Navy Nagar. Real-life Army majors and captains drilled them in slithering techniques, weapons handling, combat movement, and physical endurance.

"My training started eight months before the shoot. I gained weight, trained in mixed martial arts, and did three months of bootcamp. It was the closest I've come to military life," Kaushal had told me after the film's success.

Yami Gautam, who played intelligence officer Pallavi Sharma, brought her own quiet intensity to the role. Though her screen time was limited, her commitment was not. She cut her hair short for the part, no questions asked. That single decision meant turning down other roles, but she didn't flinch. Paresh Rawal starred in a character inspired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, adding depth and intensity to the film.

The film was shot over 41 days, across stunning Serbian landscapes that doubled as Kashmir. With over 300 crew members and 700 extras, the production turned the Old Mountain or Stara Planina into what Dhar described as "Serbian Kashmir." As someone born in the real Kashmir, Dhar was stunned by the uncanny resemblance.

Uri Marked A Departure From Conventional Bollywood War Films

Hindi cinema has long saluted the soldier-with films like Haqeeqat, Border, and LOC etched into patriotic memory. But Uri: The Surgical Strike did something different. It stripped away nostalgia and gave India's military narrative a sharp, modern edge.

This was war recalibrated for a new India that's bolder, sharper, and unafraid to strike back. Gone was the melodrama, replaced by precision, purpose, and unwavering resolve.

The action in Uri was also different from previous war films in Bollywood. It captured something raw and resonant. This was not the soldier as martyr alone, but as a tactician, a protector, and an avenger. What Uri did was bring that energy, the josh, into the cultural bloodstream. It gave bravado a face and emotion a war cry. It was memory, mission, and message packaged together. Uri didn't just show how India fights; it captured the conviction behind why it must.

But what lingered long after the gunfire faded in Uri: The Surgical Strike wasn't just the thunder of action, it was the stillness of grief. The funeral scene, stripped of dialogue but heavy with meaning, became the soul of the film. It remains undoubtedly the most poignant and unforgettable moment of the film. As Major Vihaan Singh Shergill (Vicky Kaushal) watches the sombre procession, we witness his inner turmoil, his steadfast duty as a soldier and the devastating personal toll.

That emotional gravity wasn't accidental. It was earned, both in the writing and in Kaushal's own lived experience.

Speaking at the 2019 Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards, Kaushal recalled an incident that quietly became the emotional compass for his role as Major Vihaan Shergill. It happened during the shooting in the cantonment area in Patiala when the Haathi Regiment hosted the film team for dinner.

The camaraderie was infectious - young captains, lieutenants, and majors sharing stories and laughter late into the night. Vicky recalled, "It went on till 3 am. The next morning was our day off, and I told them I would rest tomorrow. I asked them what their plan was. There was a 26-year-old Captain with us. He said, 'Same as usual. Up at 5 am, 25-km run, drills.'"

Kaushal expressed guilt for keeping them up late. "And he said something which I will never forget in my life. The captain smiled and replied, 'Vicky, koi baat nahi. We live each day to the fullest because tomorrow, our photo might be in the paper'." He had said it with pride and matter-of-factly.

Kaushal was stumped and couldn't sleep that night. He realised the soldiers have reached a state of mind where they don't care about death, "And they are doing this for us."

That moment deeply influenced how Kaushal played Major Vihaan. Through the film, he came to see soldiers not just as heroes, but as real-life superheroes, people whose daily lives make our own problems feel small in comparison.

Uri: The Surgical Strike hit theatres on January 11, 2019, to mixed reviews, with some film critics calling it "propaganda". But for audiences, it struck a raw nerve and resonated deeply, becoming more than just a film. It wouldn't be wrong to say that Uri: The Surgical Strike served as a kind of national catharsis. It became one of the year's biggest blockbusters, sweeping National Awards for director Aditya Dhar and Vicky Kaushal.

And the now-iconic line "How's the josh?" wasn't just a piece of dialogue. It became a national chant and echoed in school assemblies, political rallies, and even cricket locker rooms. 

Operation Sindoor feels like a sequel - not on screen, but in spirit. The year has changed, the terrain is the same, and the josh? That remains unmistakably high.

As long as the josh stays high, so will the spirit of this nation.