Kartik Aaryan Takes Flying Lessons for ‘Captain India’

Kartik Aaryan is going the extra mile for his next big-screen challenge. The actor is taking flying lessons for Shimit Amin’s Captain India, in which he plays a pilot at the centre of a dangerous rescue mission.

The film is inspired by Operation Raahat, India’s 2015 military and civilian evacuation mission in Yemen. While the filmmakers’ official synopsis describes it as an “evacuation mission from a war-torn country,” the story draws from the real-life operation.

In 2015, Yemen was engulfed in a civil war, leaving thousands of foreign nationals stranded amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. India successfully evacuated more than 4,600 Indian citizens, along with nearly 1,000 nationals from 41 other countries, in a coordinated effort involving Air India, the Indian Air Force and the Indian government.

The film was originally announced with Hansal Mehta as director in 2021 but is now being helmed by Shimit Amin, marking his return to feature-film direction.

In Captain India, Kartik steps into the shoes of a pilot tasked with leading a similar high-stakes rescue mission. The role demands not just physical intensity but also emotional depth, making it a significant departure for the actor.

Inspired by one of India’s most challenging humanitarian rescue missions, Captain India will see Kartik portray a pilot at the centre of the operation, combining intense action with emotional drama. The film will also have key sequences shot in Morocco.