Fighter director Siddharth Anand: ‘I would call it nationalistic rather than jingoistic’

Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan from a still from Fighter.

Last year, director Siddharth Anand’s film Pathaan starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone set the cash registers ringing and broke several records in the process, making it one of the most memorable comebacks for any actor. It is not surprising then that expectations are sky-high for his action-thriller Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor which has references from Pulwama attack and Balakot. However, the film has also created controversy for some of the dialogues in the trailer with some Pakistani actors slamming it for being "anti-Pakistan". The filmmaker responds to the criticism and shares the thought behind making the movie. Edited excerpts:

Siddharth Anand (left) with Hrithik Roshan.

What is the meaning of patriotism for you and how does it translate in this film?

All of us love our country. The journey of Fighter was not just about making a good film but also an opportunity to show our love and passion for the country. We don’t wear our deshbhakti on our sleeves; we keep it in our hearts. The film is a tribute to everyone in the Indian Armed Forces.

As a filmmaker, you have made some of the most commercially successful films, including War (2019) and Pathaan (2023). How does that empower you as a director?

Any success I have achieved allows me to make the film I want to make. That is the only take away from it. I am a storyteller and I want to tell stories without succumbing to any pressures from production houses or stars. There is a phase as a director where you can be dictated by these external forces. Success allows me to use my voice and tell my story the way I want to.

You set the ball rolling with Pathaan last year which went on to do phenomenal business. What are your expectations with Fighter which is being touted as an aerial extravaganza?

I think I speak on behalf of all filmmakers that nobody can guarantee to replicate that kind of figures or success again. You can dream but you cannot plan for it. We were all taken by surprise with the love that Pathaan received and we all hope that we get some love and a soft entry of Hindi films into the hearts of the audience again. With Pathaan, the audience opened their hearts to us. Now, we are at the cusp of something special again. We have made a very rooted film. Yes, it is stylised but it is a very desi film at heart. It speaks to the lowest common denominator. We are just waiting for the love; numbers will follow.

Anil Kapoor and director Siddharth Anand.

The Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun (1986) also saw a rebellious character Lieutenant Pete Mitchell who is part of the US Navy. Was the film an inspiration for Fighter?

Fighter has nothing to do with Top Gun except for the fact that there are aircrafts in both in the same way that War and Pathaan had bike chases. The similarity ends at those planes. This is a Hindi film inspired by a true incident that happened in 2019 with our Indian Armed Forces. It was a trigger for us to make a film and talk about the might and stand our country took. It is loosely based on that. As for the rebel factor in Squadron Leader Shamsher ‘Patty’ Pathania’s character, I think it is a very brave decision by Hrithik to do this role because it is unlike anything he has ever done. He’s never played a character who is so real. The cockiness is very real, it is not larger than life. Kabir (War) or Rajveer (Bang Bang) are cinematically larger than life but Patty is someone who could be sitting amongst us. He’s a common man, yet what he does is larger than life. He sits in a machine which is worth Rs 8,000 crore, flies at crazy speeds and risks his life every day. How can Patty not have a chip on his shoulder?

You have a knack of showing your actors in a stylised manner. How do you get your lead actors to comply with your process?

It stems from the confidence they have. Just look at them! I don’t need to do anything. You just have to roll the camera and put on some great music! Jokes apart, they work really hard. It is not easy to look the way they do. The one word I would use is sacrifice which is what goes into looking like this. It is not just them. Look at Anil (Kapoor) sir. When I asked him what his plans were for the New Year, he said he would leave the city otherwise he would have to go to parties, eat and drink. Instead, he checks into a health resort and does yoga! That’s what I mean when I use the word sacrifice.

After the trailer dropped, a number of Pakistani actors have gone to social media to call the film ‘anti-Pak’. What are your views on that?

My two bits to those comments are, firstly, that Fighter is based on a true incident. We have also depicted what actually happened in the incident which is out there in public domain. For some things which may have offended them, I would want them to see the film and see the context in which what has happened and what has been said and then react. In the trailer, it is out of context. Why will I put out the entire film for you? I will raise some questions and sparks so that people come to the theatre and watch the film. That’s what this (the trailer) has done; it has serviced that motive and in a way, I am happy it has done that and made people inquisitive. Come to the theatre and understand the context and the emotion behind it. The primary thing is that our film is not against a country, it is against terrorism.

Some dialogues in the trailer, for instance when Hrithik’s character says ‘maalik hum hain’ for Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir and warns of India-Occupied-Pakistan may be looked upon as triggering. After Pathaan which was one of the more progressive films made on the subject, this feels borderline jingoistic. How do you as a director make sense of this decision?

I would call it more nationalistic than jingoistic. There are certain things being viewed out of context. Watch the film and you will understand. Jingoism is also a matter of perspective. This film’s goal is not to create controversy. It is a happy, Indian film. Bharat ki picture hai and I won’t want it to get any other attention.