‘Picket 43,’ a tale of friendship beyond borders

India and Pakistan may be at loggerheads, but this enmity does not come in the way of two soldiers keeping watch along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in Major Ravi’s new Malayalam film Picket 43. The film, out in the UAE on February 12, is about an unusual friendship between Hawaldar Harindran Nair of the Indian Army and Musharaff of the Pakistan Army.

Prithviraj Sukumaran plays Harindran Nair and Bollywood’s Javed Jaffrey is Musharaff.

“This story happens in the snowy terrain along the Indo-Pak border where living conditions are bare,” said director Major Ravi, a former army commando whose debut film Keerthi Chakra was a box-office success.

“I want to tell people that life for soldiers guarding their respective countries is not about politics and war. Harindran and Musharaff, while remaining loyal to their duty, discuss their families, cricket and more with each other.”

It’s a friendship that cuts across borders, religion and community.

“During the first schedule of filming, we worked in heavy snowfall and at temperatures below -25C,” recalled Major Ravi.

In his 24 years of service in the army, Major Ravi has received two President Medals, one for an operation in the Kashmir militancy and the second in a Punjab militancy operation. Major Ravi plans to work next on a film with Mohan Lal.

“This will not be a war story, but a family drama.”

Produced by OG Sunil, Picket 43 is a tribute to the late Major Mukund Varadarajan, who died while fighting militants at Shopian. Music is scored by Rex Vijayan and Ratheesh Vega. Jomon T. John is the cinematographer.