Aadarsh Balakrishna to play an army officer next

Former Bigg Boss contestant and Telugu actor Aadarsh Balakrishna, last seen in the Rajasekhar hit

PSV Garudavega

, known for his on-screen villainous acts, will mark a departure from his comfort zone to play an army officer in his next, a web series based on the widely debated surgical strikes in 2016 inspired by the book, India’s Most Fearless. Raj Acharya, a former assistant of Danny Boyle will be helming the series.

“I play an army officer who travels across the border as part of an operation. Amit Sadh plays the lead role and I’m integral to his battalion. I am excited to work with him, Amit’s recent lineup of films has been amazing. Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to put on some weight and bulk up my muscles to suit the part,” Aadarsh adds.The series to be shot across Mumbai and the interiors of Jammu and Kashmir offers a true account of the incident from the soldiers’ perspective. “Watching an army film always gives a viewer a sense of pride and I’ve played the baddie often, I feel glad to be at the other end wearing a uniform now. Their acts of bravery, risks and sacrifices are unbelievable, whatever we do on-screen is only a tribute to their commitment for the nation,” the actor says.

The series will mark his return to Hindi content after 13 years, when he first acted in Nagesh Kukkonoor’s Iqbal. “Life has indeed come full circle. This is indeed a special opportunity. Web space isn’t something I’ve ventured into, it’ll be interesting to see how things fall in place. The creative freedom is indeed welcoming. I’ve read the book as part of my preparation, but I didn’t overdo it and I also want to stay true to the director’s brief,” he signs off.