Exclusive: Emraan Hashmi revisits India's most crucial counter-terror attack
Actor Emraan Hashmi, who was in the national capital ahead of the release of 'Ground Zero', offered some insight into the film which based on one of the most significant anti-terror operations in India's recent history. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, which took place before the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, Hashmi sheds light on the emotional and operational complexities faced by BSF officers, particularly during the early 2000s - a period when Kashmir was one of the most volatile conflict zones in the world.advertisementHashmi, who plays BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, revisits a critical chapter in India's war on terror - the multi-year mission that led to the elimination of Jaish-e-Mohammed's top commander, Ghazi Baba, who was responsible for orchestrating the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2002 Akshardham Temple attack. These have been touted as some of the deadliest terrorist strikes on Indian soil.''The film is set between 2000 and 2003, arguably one of the most turbulent periods in Kashmir's history. Jaish-e-Mohammed had just been formed after the IC814 hijacking. What followed was unprecedented - the Parliament attack in 2001, which marked the first time in history a terrorist group had targeted a national parliament,'' Hashmi said.
He also recalled how these events turned Kashmir into a war zone, with red alerts sounded across the security establishment. ''There was a fear psychosis. Young men brainwashed by Jaish were killing our forces at point-blank range. In one particular incident, 70 soldiers from the BSF, CRPF, JK Police and Army lost their lives. The emotional toll on the officers was unimaginable," he noted.advertisementAt the centre of this real-life operation was Dubey, who led a covert two-year mission to track down and eliminate Ghazi Baba- a master of disguise and guerrilla tactics, who constantly eluded capture by blending in among civilians in Srinagar.Calling the operation 'the most definitive and crucial mission of the BSF in the last 50 years', Hashmi emphasised how this event fundamentally altered India's internal security landscape. 'This single operation crippled Jaish-e-Mohammed for over a decade. It was a mission that had to be told,'' he stated.The encounter finally took place on August 30, 2003, a day that became the 'Ground Zero' moment for the story. According to Hashmi, the gravity of the mission and the sheer resilience of Dubey and his team made the character one of the most emotionally demanding roles he has ever portrayed. 'Ground Zero', also starring Sai Tamhankar, opened in theatres on April 25, It has been facing steep competition from major titles like 'Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story Of Jallianwala Bagh', 'Jaat', and 'Phule'. Despite the rave reviews, with Hashmi giving one of the best performances of his lifetime, the film is struggling to mint money at the box office.
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