Sparsh Walia is currently on a high. With his film, 120 Bahadur, not only receiving critical acclaim but also deeply moving audiences across the country, his performance has earned widespread praise. The film, which also stars Farhan Akhtar and Raashii Khanna, has become a big milestone in Sparsh’s career. In an exclusive chat with Filmfare, Sparsh talks about the surreal feeling of his first big-screen success, the immense responsibility of playing a real-life hero, and the most valuable lesson he learned from his co-star, Farhan Akhtar.
For an actor whose debut on the big screen has received such an impactful response, the feeling is naturally overwhelming. He mentions, “I’m just overwhelmed,” as he shares about the flood of positive reviews and messages. “All the reviews and messages I’m reading about my performance, it’s such an overwhelming feeling.”
The excitement was followed by a major announcement: the film was declared tax-free by the Delhi government few days ago. Sparsh notes, “If the government appreciates your work and does something like this for your film, it’s such a big thing for us.” Having dedicated almost one and a half years of his life to the project, Sparsh finds the love pouring in from Kashmir, Madras, and Rajasthan to be a surreal feeling. He hails from a background where being on screen always felt like a far-fetched dream. But having attained the unattainable, he admits, “It will take me another week or two to just let this sink in. But I feel so overwhelmed. And it’s such a proud moment for me, for my family, for my parents.”
Sparsh plays the character of Ramchander, the radio operator and the sole survivor of the battle, whose role is key to the film’s plot. The actor felt an immediate and deep connection to the role. He recalls the audition phase stating, “I was so emotionally attached to Ramchander ji, to his story, and how he contributed to this battle. So, I really wanted to play Ramchander ji’s character.”
This attachment translated into a deep sense of responsibility. “I think there was more than the performance pressure. There was this added responsibility,” he shares, especially since he was also the narrator for this story from Indian history. The greatest help came from his team and the passion for the story. Crediting his director and co-actors, including Farhan Akhtar, for the smooth process, he says, “The impact of your team matters a lot in your performance.”
Sparsh also had the honour of meeting the real Ramchander. Recalling the interaction, he shares a moment that inspired his performance. He refers to the dialogue in the film where Ramchander states that a soldier’s blood will be found in the soil from his chest, not his back. Sparsh recalls, “Everybody took a bullet head on. No one thought of turning back at that time… When I heard all that from him, I was so inspired and moved. How did they do it? I mean, I can’t even imagine that normal people like us do something like this.”
Sharing screen space with the seasoned and multi-talented Farhan Akhtar was a dream come true for Sparsh, who has always been a fan. He reveals the most valuable lesson he took away from Farhan, “How to value your co-actors. That’s what I picked up from Farhan.”
He admits he initially had the mindset that a star like Farhan would give his shot and walk off. But his approach was the complete opposite. Sparsh shares, “The way Farhan sir made it so comfortable, he used to be there for even one of my lines. The way he supports his co-actors, the way he makes all his co-actors feel equal was amazing.” Sparsh reveals he would hope to apply this learning in his future projects.
On a concluding note, Sparsh stressed the importance of the film’s message, especially for the younger generation. He says that he wants everyone to realize how much our army has sacrificed for the freedom we enjoy today. He says, “I would like everyone to know how much sacrifice has been made to enjoy what we are enjoying today.” He urges the youth to appreciate and feel proud every single day about our soldiers and whatever they do for us.
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