Janhvi Kapoor’s Gunjan Saxena Turns 5! Director Sharan Sharma Celebrates, ‘I Look Back…’

Janhvi Kapoor’s Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl hits its fab fifth anniversary! As Independence day is close, this is still a must watch. The Netflix hit, dripping with drama and heart, had a no-ego crew dishing out pure magic. The director, Sharan Sharma recalled his movie journey, here's what he shared!

Published by Shaista Fatimi
Last updated: August 12, 2025 16:59:18 IST

Janhvi Kapoor Celebrates Kargil Girl Anniversary

On August 12, 2025, Janhvi Kapoor celebrated the fifth anniversary of Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. This real life based story was directed by Sharan Sharma, unveiling the fierce story of Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena, one of India’s first female combat aviators. Released by Netflix in 2020, this lovely story reveals an interesting account of bravery and resilience, which has got such humongous appreciation owing to the heartfelt performance by Janhvi himself along with a committed cast and crew.

Gunjan Saxena: An Ego-less Collaboration

Director Sharan Sharma reminiscing about the film’s birth described it as a labour of love during “innocent times,” where he praised the egoless cast and crew for coming together by sheer passion for story-telling in an Instagram post. Janhvi who played Gunjan Saxena has shared that post, reiterating the sentiment.

A post shared by Sharan Sharma (@sharanssharma)

With actors such as Pankaj Tripathi as Gunjan’s father and Angad Bedi as her brother, were widely appreciated for their emotional depth and outstanding performances.

Gunjan’s Story in Pain and Glory

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is a biographical drama of Gunjan Saxena, a female pilot during the Kargil War of 1999, who fought and combat obstacles. Gunjan fights against the odds of gender discrimination as an Indian Air Force officer but, more than all that, fights to prove herself.

The preparations Janhvi underwent for the performance were really intense, including physical training to prepare for the inner strength that Gunjan projected. While the film was condemned for minor inaccuracies and exaggeration of gender biases in military portrayal, it had received a lot of praises for its emotional resonance and patriotism, nominated for eight Filmfare Awards.

Janhvi’s Evolving Growth and Future Plans

Indeed, this film was life changing for Janhvi as a budding actress, eating into her confidence as an actor and person. Gunjan’s story has taught her how to embrace transformation, she declared in 2020 on her own.

Expectations now point toward August 29, 2025, with Janhvi’s next film, Param Sundari with Sidharth Malhotra. The project continues her journey of entertaining viewers through dynamic challenging roles.

Also Read: Param Sundari Trailer: Sidharth Malhotra And Janhvi Kapoor Clash In This Battle Of Cultures, Actress’ Monologue Goes Viral