India’s most wanted terrorist Yasin Bhatkal will be the subject of the Raj Kumar Gupta film, according to reliable sources. The film will feature Arjun Kapoor in a key role, playing the role of the Intelligence Bureau officer who, for three years constantly pursued dreaded terrorist Yasin Bhatkal and finally nabbed him along with his accomplices at the Nepal border.

The IB officer is an SP from the Bihar cadre, of whom it is said that he only lived and breathed Bhatkal for four years. He had made it his life’s mission to bring Bhatkal in, whether dead or alive. The film will attempt to recreate the entire operation. Working on India’s Most Wanted has involved enormous spadework. Maker Raj Kumar Gupta has been researching the subject since three years. He interacted copiously with the intel officers who had been part of the operation that nabbed Yasin Bhatkal.

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Apparently, Sidharth Malhotra had been the original choice for the role of the Intelligence office. The script of the film had been locked two years ago itself. Director Gupta had even personally introduced Sidharth to a number of intel officers. Sid had supposedly even unofficially worked with the Intelligence Bureau team, in order to gain a working knowledge of its methods of working, including how they collect intelligence and then conduct operations in conjunction with RAW and other agencies.

Regarding the reining in of Yasin Bhatkal, the IB conducted rehearsals of the operation over several days like one would for a film. Leading a special team, SP Kumar reveals how the operation achieved results. In order to nail Yasin, they masqueraded as tourists and reached Nepal. The officers, sporting shorts and tees, spread out in Nepal’s Pokhara. As they sailed around in speedboats, another team roamed around pretending to be tourist guides. The operation started off on the evening of August 11, 2013.

Yasin Bhatkal’s arrest is India’s second big operation against Pakistan, after the surgical strikes which were conducted. Besides the IB and RAW teams, the operation involved other agencies as well, with up to 669 officers involved. It is believed to be the biggest and most expensive operation conducted. As Bhatkal was ranked at number 14 on the list of most dangerous terrorists worldwide, it was as important for India to nab him as it was for the USA to hunt down Osama Bin Laden.

Arjun Kapoor will play IB SP Kumar, who had been assigned the ‘punishment posting’ of catching Bhatkal. The film will also depict how Yasin spreads terror worldwide and how one error lands him in the Intel net. Our senses are on high alert already!

Translated By: Nichola Pais