Adivi Sesh announces Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan fund for CDS and NDA aspirants

By PTI

MUMBAI: Actor Adivi Sesh on Wednesday announced a fund in the name of 2008 Mumbai terror attack martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan which would help in providing guidance and training to CDS (Combined Defence Services) and NDA (National Defence Academy) aspirants across the country.

Sesh recently headlined the film “Major”, a biopic on Unnikrishnan. The multilingual drama, which was released in Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam on June 3, opened to critical acclaim. At a promotional event of the film here, the actor said he will soon set up the fund which will help people who wish to pursue a career as well as serve the country.

“‘Major’ is not a film, it is an emotion. So, I wanted to announce the major promise – After I am done with promotions of the film, we are going to start a fund in the name of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan for CDS and NDA aspirants across the country.

“There are a lot of people in small towns and villages who don’t know how to apply, they don’t have money for the textbooks, they don’t have the guidance or training institutes. We will provide that guidance and training and sometimes that funding,” Sesh told reporters.

The 37-year-old said he would also request more people from the Indian film industry to do their bit. “I’m going to start doing it, then I’m going to get some more friends to add to it, then I’m going to get some actors to add to it. I’m going to do everything to ensure that Major Sandeep’s legacy is not in the unsung heroes. He should be a sung hero and I am going to sing it,” he added.

“Major” is directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, who also helmed Sesh’s 2018 hit action spy thriller “Goodachari”. The film also featured Prakash Raj, Revathi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Saiee Manjrekar, and Murali Sharma.

Sesh, star of films like “Kshanam” and “Evaru”, said “Major” has continued his successful streak at the box office and given him unprecedented respect as an artist. “This is my fifth success in a row. So I’m used to the success part, what I’m not used to is the kind of respect… This is truly the most meaningful film I’ve ever done,” he said.

However, the actor doesn’t want to keep featuring only in the roles of unsung heroes. “As far as unsung heroes, I’d only like to say that, I’d be taken less seriously if I do one film every year on an unsung hero. But, I want to sing about so many heroes and I’ll do it in my own way. Not everything has to be a film,” he added.