Actor Gautam Rode plays an NSG commando in the new OTT-released film “State Of Siege: Temple Attack”. The story revolves around a terror strike in a Gandhinagar temple and is based on the Akshardham attack of 2002.

If the plot adheres to a genre that has been explored in cinema many times, Gautam says the only way to break the cliche was to keep it real.

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“I think one of the most important parts of our characters in the film was to keep it authentic. Our way of breaking the cliche was to keep it real. Every film that we have seen that is set against a backdrop of terror attack has men in uniforms come to rescue the hostages and show their bravery. It is something we have seen before on-screen. But we must not forget that in every situation, the characters are different and the challenges are different,” Gautam told IANS.

“The fact that our officers of the National Security Guards (NSG) protect our country with so many risks on their shoulders itself is a heroic act. As an actor, instead of exaggerating that if we could just keep it real, it becomes relatable with no cliches. Through our performance, we actors can show our respect to our Indian Army,” he added.

According to the actor, what helped the cast get into the skin of their roles is the guidance of a retired Army officer on the set and extensive workshop that taught the cast how to hold a gun, fire a gun and imbibe the nuances of body language.

Recalling the shooting experience, he said: “We shot the film in November and December of 2020, and then the last schedule was in the month of February this year. Initially, due to the Coronavirus I was sceptical but testing before and after shoot and vaccination was the only way to deal with it. If I start thinking about the dark side of reality, I will not be able to perform as an actor. We have to live our life, we have to look forward to a new day with optimism,” he signed off.

“State Of Siege: Temple Attack” features Akshaye Khanna, Vivek Dhaiya, Samir Soni, Parvin Dabas and Manjari Fadnnis along with Gautam Rode. The film is available on Zee5.