Ever since it was announced that a movie is being made on the life of PVC Captain Vikram Batra, the excitement has been at an all-time high. After all, he was a true braveheart, whose story of courage and valour inspired a whole nation!
For those who remember the Kargil War, there might not be any mystery behind why the movie is titled Shershaah.
But for the rest of you, yet to see the film, here’s the reason behind it.
Shershaah was actually Capt. Batra’s codename, that was intercepted by the Pakistani soldiers. And when Capt. Batra and his troops were mounting an attack to recapture Point 5140 illegally occupied by Pakistani forces, he was threatened over radio signal to not come up.
The Pakistani soldier, or officer, who threatened Batra, used his codename.
However, that threat backfired because Batra and his troops were so enraged at the challenge, that they attacked with even more ferocity, bravely defeating the Pakistani soldiers.
(The scene has been recreated in the movie as well.)
Captain Batra actually recounted this incident during an interview with Barkha Dutt, at the time of the Kargil War. It was his capture of Point 5140 that led to his promotion to Captain, from Lieutenant, and paved the way for capturing other hills.
He attained martyrdom while fighting to capture Point 4875, and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration.
Shershaah refers to a person with a heart like a lion aka a braveheart. And in his short life of 24 years, Vikram Batra proved he was a man fit for the title!