Jai Hind! Today, I write to you not as a critic, nor as a cynic — not even as a disappointed fan — but as someone who has lived to be a so-called hero in real life and in real life as well. One in olive green, where orders are followed without question and sacrifice is routine. The other is under studio lights, where scripts replace strategy and stories stir the soul. My journey, from battlefields to film sets, has shaped me into a storyteller, a voice that speaks today not just from experience, but also for a purpose & cause — as an international TEDx speaker.

I am Major (Dr) Mohommed Ali Shah (Veteran). I have commanded troops as a Major in the Indian Army, and I have performed on screen in National award-winning films like ‘Haider’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, ‘The Tashkent Files’, ‘Agent Vinod’, ‘Yaara’, ‘Avrodh’  aagdesh, Vodka Diaries, Majaz — Ae Ghame dil kya karun and many more. My heart has always stood at this strange, beautiful intersection — between the real and the reel, between uniformed action and cinematic expression. It is from that very space that I write to you today — with both understanding and anguish.

Operation Sindoor was not just a military triumph — it was a moment steeped in symbolism. Even the name was chosen with cinematic flair and reverence. Sindoor — evoking images of sacrifice, soil, blood, and valour. It could easily be the title of a powerful film. And yet, what followed has been disheartening silence from those who have long worn the uniform on-screen and draped the tricolour in their reels.

The film fraternity, the cricketing heroes, the influencers —........

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