Bravehearts

The film sees Devgn play an army officer and Khanna,a CBI officer,both sent to a small town to investigate a missing person case which they eventually discover is a murder. Directed by veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan,the concept for the film was instantly approved by Mangat who has himself witnessed one such killing in his Punjab village. “A Brahmin girl married her lower caste lover on the sly. Upon knowledge,her parents kidnapped her and were marrying her off to someone else when the boy arrived at the wedding. He was set on fire and thrashed just to set an example. The memory of it alone gives me the chills,” he recounts.

Though a deep-seated issue,neither actor was apprehensive of portraying the roles of heroes who raise their heads against the killings. Nor are they afraid of possible controversies that the story may stir. “It’s ridiculous that being a nation that gives us freedom of speech,movies are often targeted,” Devgn points out. “But some films also make use of negative publicity,” says Khanna adding after a pause,“and Shah Rukh Khan knows that very well.”

Khanna,in his trademark candid mood,also takes a dig at the recent hit Dabangg while talking about Aakrosh’ s action quotient. Devgn,who feels that old-fashioned hand-to-hand fights still work for Indian audiences,says that the duo will be seen bashing up two dozen men but convincingly,to which Khanna retorts,“Unlike Da-bangg !”