Major Ravi, who just wrapped up the first schedule shoot in Rajasthan for his new film '1971:Beyond Borders', says he and his crew were worried of the hidden dangers at the location. "We didn't know about the vipers and learnt about their presence only when we reached the desert to begin the shoot. It was scary because we were told that the vipers can camaflouge themselves in the sand and that it was impossible to spot them. We immediately ordered anti-venom medicines and wore heavy shoes to be on the safe side," says the Major, whose movie is the fourth sequel to Kirthi Chakra, centred around the life of Colonel Mahadevan.
Major admits that chest congestion was a common affair at the set. "The sand storms were strong. The afternoons were hard because of the heat. The camera had to be wiped several times. The climatic condition was a challenge but we spent an enjoyable 25 days," he adds.
Major Ravi says that shooting a film set in 1971 was a challenge too. "We were shooting at the military camp. Today there are electric fences and roads along the border. In the 1970's, a road in this area was non-existent. We had to be extremely careful during the shooting," he added.
When asked about the expectations about the film, Major Ravi shares that he fears his movies will be compared with 'Kirthi Chakra', the blockbuster which prompted him to make the sequels. "However, I am sure that I will be able to provide something different to the viewers this time."
Mohanlal will play two roles for the movie and will be seen as Colonel Mahadevan and his father Sahadevan, who fought in the 1971 war. The next part of the movie will be shot at Pattambi. The war sequence between Pakistan and Indian armies will be shot in Uganda.