The father of detained Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, was a consultant on the Mani Ratnam film Kaatru Veliyidai.
The 2017 film Kaatru Veliyidai, inspired by true events, was about an IAF pilot detained as a prisoner of war during the 1999 Kargil war. Set against this backdrop, certain portions of the movie were based on the life of Flight Lieutenant Dipak Parulkar who was captured and detained to Rawalpindi prison in 1971 when his flight crashed in Pakistan’s territory.
After spending close to a year in prison, Parulkar and his cellmates jumped the fence only to fall short of the Indian border by four miles and get arrested again. This incident and his eventual release from jail, as ordered by the Pakistan PM, was chronicled in Faith Johnson’s book Four Miles to Freedom. Mani Ratnam had bought the rights to this book for the movie.
Yesterday, news broke that an IAF pilot was detained by Pakistan while trying to counter retaliatory strikes. In a video released by the Pakistan army later, the identity of the pilot was revealed as Abhinandan Varthaman.
As Varthaman’s family and others pray for his well being, reports have surfaced that his father, a former air force officer, was an advisor to the Kaatru Veliyidai team, according to India Today. While the pilot himself did not divulge details of his family, Indian media was quick to report about his background, including his native place and his father’s history as an air force officer.
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Following the release of Varthaman’s video, his father, who seems to be unfazed despite the hard time, has issued a statement thanking people for their support. “Thank you my friends for your concern and wishes. I thank God for his blessings, Abhi is alive, not injured, sound in mind, just look at the way he talked so bravely… a true soldier… we are so proud of him. I am sure all your hands and blessings are on his head, prayers for his safe return, I pray that he does not get tortured, and comes home safe and sound in body and mind. Thank you all for being with us in this hour of need. We draw our strengths from your support and energy (sic).”
Pakistan’s Armed Forces Spokesperson, major general Asif Ghafoor said that Abhinandan was being treated as per norms of military ethics. The Pakistan PM Imran Khan has announced that he will be released tomorrow.
Pakistan will release Indian Pilot Abhinandan tomorrow as a gesture of peace: Prime Minister Imran Khan pic.twitter.com/6aUN4S9JVb
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 28, 2019
Image Courtesy: India Today