Who Was Major Mohit Sharma, The Soldier At The Centre Of Dhurandhar Row

With only days to go before Ranveer Singh's upcoming film Dhurandhar hits cinemas, the controversy surrounding his character and appearance has only grown louder.

Many, including the family of Major Mohit Sharma, believe Ranveer's character is inspired by the real-life events of the late officer. His family has approached the Delhi High Court, claiming that the film appears to be based on his life and has been made without their consent.

Who was Major Mohit Sharma?

1. Born in Rohtak, Haryana, in 1978, Major Mohit Sharma was an elite officer of the Indian Army's 1 Para Special Forces (Para SF). This is a highly trained group that handles the toughest, most secret, and most dangerous missions. He joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1995.
2. After graduating from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), he was commissioned into the 5th Battalion of the Madras Regiment in December 1999. During his service, he took part in several dangerous counterinsurgency operations in which soldiers infiltrated militant circles under secret identities.
3. In 2004, he carried out one of his most daring missions by going undercover and secretly joining a Hizbul Mujahideen group. For this operation, he created a completely fake identity - "Iftikhar Bhatt," a man who pretended to hate the Indian Army because they had supposedly killed his brother. He even grew long hair, kept a heavy beard and dressed like locals. This move helped the Army gather crucial information and strike key militant targets. For this, he earned the Sena Medal for gallantry.
4. Five years later, in March 2009, Major Mohit Sharma was involved in another high-risk operation in the Kupwara district of Kashmir, a dense forest area notorious for infiltration routes and unpredictable combat. During the mission, he came under heavy enemy fire.
5. Despite being critically injured, he continued to lead his team from the front, engaged in close-range combat and successfully neutralised four terrorists. He later succumbed to his injuries. In recognition of his exceptional bravery, presence of mind, and supreme sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry honour.

Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar

Helmed by Aditya Dhar, the film revolves around an Indian soldier who infiltrated terrorist groups in Kashmir. The high-profile cast includes Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on December 5.