Mumbai April 6 (IANS) Punjabi superstar Gippy Garewal who plays the title role in "Subedar Joginder Singh" says he is ashamed to say he didn t know about the man who fought off the Chinese invaders during the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
Gippy went through drastic physical and emotional changes for the role.
"It was by far the most difficult role of my career so far. I had to gain 20 kg to look like Subedar Joginder Singh. And then I had to lose it all for my next film Carry On Jatta 2 all within a few months " he said.
Gippy says the effort was all worth his while.
"The story of this amazing man had to be told to the world. And I am honoured to be taking his story to the world. I am ashamed to say I didn t know who Subedar Joginder Singh was when I was offered the role. Then I began reading up on him.
"I got to know he was a Paramvir Chakra winner and his valour during the India and China war left me humbled and proud. I was blown away. A hero like Subedar Joginder Singh comes along once in a blue moon. To play him is a privilege."
Luckily for Gippy gaining and losing all that weight was the least of his problems.
"I can easily lose weight. But I can t gain weight that easily. So my problems came before I started shooting for Subedar Joginder Singh. After the shooting I had no difficulty losing weight.
"But I had a tough time getting out of the skin and mind of that brave soldier who gave up his life for our country and to get into the fun-and-games mode of Carry On Jatta 2 . I had to take time off for a few days to leave Subedar Joginder Singh behind. He is someone I don t want to forget."
The film is releasing in Punjabi and a dubbed Hindi version.
"The message of Subedar Joginder Singh s valour must reach to the farthest places possible " Gippy asserted.
--IANS
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