“I am So Aware of My Privilege. I Often felt Guilty about it": Janhvi Kapoor

The story of India’s first woman Air Force Officer to enter a warzone, Gunjan Saxena, will be releasing on Netflix. The film, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, stars Janhvi Kapoor in the titular role.

Gunjan and Janhvi come together for an interview where they spoke about her incredible journey and Janhvi’s takeaway from the film. 

Gunjan while sharing about the toughest thing for a woman in uniform said, “Other than infrastructure barriers like no separate washrooms or changing rooms which were slowly taken care of, the toughest thing was breaking the mental barrier the people had, making them accept you as a professional. Being accepted as an officer and not being looked at as a woman officer. I think that was also the most challenging and exciting part as well (smiles).

While talking about her takeaway from the film and her learning from Gunjan, Janhvi said, "Although, what she has done is extremely heroic, her entire approach to her career and her outlook on life, I don't think so she ever set off to be a hero. Her entire aim was to live her dream and do what she loves.

It all comes down to the effort and the hard work you put in towards your work. Her outlook was very simple, if you keep working hard, then one will get where one has to get.”

Janhvi felt that as Gunjan Saxena didn’t let the construct of society or the gender bias or anything else be an obstacle in her mind, or she even never victimized herself, but instead just kept through her work, and worked hard is something that inspires her the most.

Adding to it she said, "And of course I haven't had to deal with the kind of things that most women have to deal with. Because I do come from a slightly more privileged background and so I have been lucky in the way I have been treated and the opportunities that I have gotten. So I don't think I have anything to complain about.

But, hearing her story, being in a simulated environment when knowing that she has been probably in these real situation. I don't know what I can say, maybe sympathize but it made me come close to what it have been like and I think of course broaden my horizon and perspective of what women might be going through.

I am so aware of my privilege. I often felt guilty about it. But the best I can do is to earn my place by working even harder", she adds. 

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl directed by Sharan Sharma, also stars Pankaj Tripathi and Angad Bedi in pivotal roles.