Akshay Kumar connects the real Bhairon Singh with the reel one, Suniel Shetty!

Akshay Kumar met a veteran Army officer, Bhairon Singh, who played an important role in the historic war at Longewala in 1971 to Suniel Shetty, who played him in the movie Border (1997), as he was alive and not dead as shown in the film!

Akshay Kumar, who has been shooting for his next film Bachchan Pandey in Rajasthan, took time out to celebrate Army Day (Jan 15) by flagging off a marathon and playing a game of volleyball. But he also had a surprise visitor that day.

Suniel Shetty felt it was sweet of Akshay Kumar to call and reach out, “perhaps because we share a close relation”. (Yogen Shah)

“A veteran Army officer, Bhairon Singh, sent a note to Akshay, asking to speak with him. When Akshay met him, he realised that Bhairon Singh is the same Lance Naik Bhairon Singh, who had played an important role in the historic war at Longewala in 1971. The Army man told him that while Suniel Shetty played him in the multi-starrer movie Border (1997), his character dies but he is still alive! ‘I would like to send my best wishes to him and wish him a long, healthy life’, he said. Everyone who heard him found the exchange hilarious and sweet as well,” reveals a source.

Kumar then called Shetty to tell him about Singh and get the two of them together but couldn’t connect with Shetty right then. Later, when we contacted Shetty to ask about the incident, he, too, found the incident sweet. He says, “Akki had called me but I couldn’t take his call and by the time, I called him back, he had left the venue. Later, he told me about the incident and we laughed about the whole episode (laughs) because Bhairon Singh said he wants to talk to the Bhairon Singh of the movie! So, I called ‘the real’ Bhairon Singh but unfortunately he wasn’t comfortable talking on the phone, due to age perhaps, so I spoke to his son. I told him the next time I am in the city, I will surely come and visit.” Shetty felt it was sweet of Kumar to call and reach out, “perhaps because we share a close relation”.

Ask him though Border was a true story and why was Bhairon Singh killed in the film and Shetty explains, “It was a true story but at times, we fictionalised a bit to make it more dramatic and larger-than-life. He was ready to give up his life which is important and that’s why JP sir (Dutta; director) thought to make changes. The moment in Border, when I walk through landmines, worked like magic and is one of the most beautiful moments in the film and of my career as well,” he shares.

Akshay Kumar gifted five lakh rupees to Bhairon Singh as a personal gesture.

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