Fighter Makers Say It Was A 'No Brainer' Picking Hrithik Roshan In Aerial Action Drama

Hrithik Roshan is basking in the success of his recently released film Fighter, co-starring Deepika Padukone. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, the film opened to rave reviews from the critics and audience and in its opening week, topped the global box office with a gross of $25 million. Now, as the film is having a great run at the box office, Hrithik dropped behind-the-scenes footage on his social media handle to keep the fans hooked.

The clip offers a glimpse into the extensive preparation, the actor underwent to prepare for his role of Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania aka Patty. However, what grabbed our attention was when producer Ajit Andhare opened up about why they cast Hrithik in the film.

Was Hrithik Roshan the perfect fit for the Fighter Pilot role?

Taking to his X handle, Hrithik shared a video titled Meet Patty, offering a glimpse into the prep and learnings Hrithik went through to get into the skin of his Patty. In the video, Hrithik is seen learning the steps of climbing onto the cockpit of the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI. He is also seen undertaking simulation training and practising manoeuvres.

Talking about casting Hrithik in Fighter, producer Ajit Andhare of Viacom18 Studios says, "When you think of who you will put into the cockpit of an Indian fighter jet, there are not very many names that comes to your mind, so i think it was almost a no brainer to see Hrithik in the Cockpit behind those aviators, behind those instrumental panels."

The actor shot at real locations of Tezpur Air base in Assam and Hyderabad's Dundigal Air Force Academy and was seen interacting with Indian Air Force personnel and locals to enhance his appearance as Fighter Pilot.  

Sharing the video, Hrithik Roshan wrote, "Meet Patty - A #Fighter Pilot whose only allegiance is to his country. The sky is his playground, and his Sukhoi’s cockpit is his home. A fierce leader, an unwavering friend and an enemy to be feared. But most of all, he's a Fighter Forever 🇮🇳"

Fighter co-stars Anil Kapoor and Deepika Padukone lauds Hrithik's determination

Anil Kapoor, who was Hrithik's commanding officer in the film, revealed that he is "very generous as a person and this is the reason he connected with Hrithik. "He's very hardworking, he's very sincere, he's very committed. He has got a phenomenal presence, a presence which is God-given," added Anil Kapoor.

Deepika Padukone, on the other hand, recalled their first onscreen collaboration with Fighter and shared that Hrithik is "very fascinating". She added that the actor is "extremely focused" as he wants to get everything right and perfect.

Siddharth Anand's Fighter, released on the eve of India's 75th Republic Day is a tribute to the Indian Air Force. The film emerged to be the first film of 2024 to collect 300 crores worldwide.