The trailer of The Test Case opens with Captain Shikha Sharma stepping out of a bus, dressed in combat fatigues, her determined eyes shielded from the unrelenting sun by a cap. A flag with the Para Special Forces badge of sacrifice (Balidaan ) flutters high, signalling her arrival at the SF Training Centre, Kolipad. In the dry, deciduous woodland surrounding it, Capt Sharma will follow a regimen of guns, grenades and guts to match her male counterparts in a training schedule that is among the toughest in the world. And, she will be the only woman to do so, the dreams of a nation hoping to open up combat roles to women riding on her able shoulders. Capt Sharma is here to prove a point — that women can go into battle as combatants — egged on by a woman Defence Minister (played by an elegant Juhi Chawla) and guided by tough Colonel Ajinkya Sathe (played by Atul Kulkarni), the commandant of the Centre.
The fictional 12-episode web series that began streaming on Sunday on ALT Balaji , a newly-launched mobile and web platform, is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, and conceptualised by Samar Khan and Ekta Kapoor. The 30-minute episodes are inspired by President Pranab Mukherjee’s statement last year on inducting women in all roles of combat. The scenes featuring blistering bullets being fired and soldiers in camouflage and war paint swarming through jungles have been shot at Sainik School, Satara, and on the outskirts of Mumbai.
More than a costume
Nimrat Kaur plays Capt Sharma, and her voice over the telephone is calm and collected — key requirements for a commando on the battlefield. The role, she says, involved more than just “blood, sweat and tears”.
Daughter of an Army officer killed in the line of duty in Kashmir, Kaur, 35, says, “My father was a Bengal Sapper. I grew up watching him put on his uniform, his shiny accoutrements. There is so much glamour around the Army. When I grew older, I realised how tough it actually is. Life has come full circle, where, as an actor, I get to play a part in a world I’ve personally been fascinated with. This opportunity, considering we don’t have a woman combat officer yet, is wonderful.”
Kaur says her family, especially her mother, was delighted to see her in uniform. “It was lovely to see that response,” she says, “although it was more than a mere costume and wearing it called for responsibility”.
Kaur’s unusual choice of films has not often called for great physical transformation. But, for The Test Case , she had to rewire her brain. “I’ve never had issues with how I look. I was in a happy space with my body, physical regimen and fitness. When Nagesh and I met, he wanted someone who could crank, maybe 20 push-ups. It was more than just looking good in uniform; it was about getting physically strong.”
An army crash course
Kaur trained at Cindy Jourdain’s boot camp in cross-fit yoga, martial arts and ballet. “There was rigorous training at the athletic level. Certain foods were not on the cards any more — that was tough. I’ve been training since December, and I haven’t felt fitter, stronger and more disciplined. I wanted this integrity about genuinely being who you are trying to play. Army folks are disciplined — when they promise themselves something, that’s when they can promise someone else anything.”
Shooting in the heat of Satara, was punishing, says Kaur. “We’ve shot some action sequences, and trained with weapons with people from the Special Forces. We had to get everything right. I’ve never felt so together.”
The first episode is focussed on the Paras. “There will be a few cinematic liberties,” says Kaur, “but we work at staying as close as possible to the truth. Body doubles are being used only when necessary. As a girl, I had many inhibitions, but when I don that uniform, I’m an Army officer.”
Life after The Lunchbox
Looking back on her journey in both Bollywood and abroad, Kaur says, “It is about the imagination of the makers and what they feel the actor can pull off. After The Lunchbox , I don’t think anyone would’ve thought of casting me as a commando. My work over these three-and-a-half years is a surprise even to me.”
Kaur says working abroad, necessitates being “out of your comfort zone, with people who don’t speak the same language or share your culture. On an Indian set, despite the differences, the fabric is more or less the same. But, it is interesting to be in a place without the familiarity of your geography. I thrive on that; it gives you a different perspective on yourself and how the world views your country through the prism of your work. However, working in India is a pleasure nothing can match.”
Kaur says she can’t reveal much about the projects she is working on, but says she is looking forward to how The Test Case will be received. “We’re trying to create an audience. And, we are excited to see how much attention we can garner when a woman buckles up for combat.”
