Ishaan Khatter conferred with honorary membership by Indian Armoured Corps
Mumbai, May 17
Actor Ishaan Khatter has been conferred with an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps for his portrayal of a 45 Cavalry officer in 'Pippa' and his respect for the regiment's ethos.
Sharing moments from the ceremony on social media, Ishaan described the recognition as "the honour of a lifetime."
"The honour of a lifetime to be conferred upon an honorary membership of 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps - which I may now proudly call my regiment! There is no bigger acknowledgment and I only hope to always be reliably and humbly in service in any which way I can be to the bravest and most honourable members of the Indian army," he wrote.
Reflecting on the experience, the actor added, "As somebody who came from a life far removed from military exposure, this is truly mind boggling for me. I only did my best as an artiste to bring authenticity to the role of a cavalier but this is fuel for a lifetime to keep giving my heart and soul to every role I essay."
He further thanked the regiment and officers for hosting him at the XLV Officers Mess.
"Conveying my deepest respect and many thanks for a lovely evening spent at the XLV Officers Mess. VEER BHOGYA VASUNDHARA. Jai hind," he added.
The honour comes amid a significant phase in Ishaan's career, with the actor earning appreciation for projects such as Homebound and The Royals. He was also recently featured on the Gold House Gold 100 list, becoming the only Indian male actor to make it to this year's lineup.
Produced by Ronnie Screwvala under the banner of RSVP Movies and Siddharth Roy Kapur's Roy Kapur Films, and directed by Raja Krishna Menon, the film features Ishaan, Mrunal Thakur, Priyanshu Painyuli and Soni Razdan in pivotal roles.Based on the book 'The Burning Chaffees' by Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta, the film is written by Menon, Tanmay Mohan, and Ravinder Randhawa.
The title of the film is a tribute to the amphibious war tank called the PT-76 (Palavushi Tanka), popularly known as "Pippa," akin to an empty tin of ghee that smoothly floats on water.
This wartime saga narrates a story of patriotism and traces the coming of age of Captain Balram Mehta (essayed by Ishaan) of the 45 Cavalry Tank Squadron. Together, Balram Mehta and the Indian Armed Forces exemplify valour and courage, in a war for the liberation of another country. The film premiered on November 10, 2023 on Amazon Prime Video.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I appreciate the gesture, I hope this doesn't become a trend where Bollywood actors get honorary military memberships just for playing a role in a film. Our soldiers earn their stripes through years of sacrifice. But if Ishaan truly connected with the regiment's values, then well deserved. 🙌
Amazing recognition! The 45 Cavalry has a glorious history from the 1971 war. "Pippa" was a brilliant film that showed the real tank warfare. Ishaan really got into the character - you could feel his respect for Captain Balram Mehta. VEER BHOGYA VASUNDHARA - Jai Hind! 🚀
I respect how humble Ishaan sounds in his speech - "I only did my best as an artiste." It's refreshing to see an actor who doesn't take himself too seriously and acknowledges the actual heroes. Makes me want to watch Pippa again! 🎬
Good for him, but honestly these honorary memberships should be reserved for veterans or people who have actually served. An actor playing a role in a movie doesn't equate to real military service. Still, he seems respectful so no hard feelings.
This is really sweet! He genuinely appreciated the regiment's hospitality and called it a "lovely evening." So nice to see someone from the film world connecting with our armed forces. Pippa was such an underrated film - more people should watch it to understand the 1971 war from a tank commander's perspective. 🎖️
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