India fights great wars but makes few great war films — actors, authors, and veterans ask why cinema keeps looking away.

Author KV Ramesh launches his book on Indian war cinema, sparking a candid panel discussion with actress Avantika, who has played Indira Gandhi six times on screen, and other film and military personalities. The conversation examines why Bollywood consistently underserves India’s military history — from the 1947 Kashmir war to Kargil — while Hollywood has built an entire genre around battlefield storytelling.

Avantika offers an actor’s perspective on the discipline required to embody iconic figures like Indira Gandhi — extensive research, vocal training, and an understanding that you cannot mimic greatness, only channel it. The panel probes the cultural, commercial, and political reasons Indian war cinema remains an underexplored frontier despite an extraordinarily rich source material.

About The Speakers:
K.V. Ramesh is a Physics graduate with 41 years of experience in sales, marketing, and product training, including 38 years in biomedical equipment. He has worked with cardiac monitors, diagnostic equipment, radiology, neonatal care, ICU ventilators, and anesthesia workstations. Most recently, he served as Business Manager for Respiratory Care at Drager India until retiring in January 2023. He now works as a biomedical industry consultant and writes about films.

Avantika Akerkar is a communications consultant, writer, and actor who returned to India from America to work on human empowerment and civic awareness projects. She has performed with Oscar winners including Jane Fonda, Marissa Tomei, and Judi Dench, as well as Indian stars like Naseeruddin Shah, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Amitabh Bachchan. Her theatrical work includes productions with renowned directors, and she has produced plays with Israeli director Gil Alon. Her film credits include “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “83,” and the Filmfare-winning short “Rogan Josh.” Recent TV work includes “4 More Shots Please,” “Made in Heaven,” and “Mithya.”

Suzanne Bernert is a German-born actress based in India, known for her work in Indian films and TV across multiple languages. Born on 26th September in Detmold, Germany, she trained under Heidelotte Diehl and performed in theatre before entering Bollywood in 2005 after a chance encounter in Dubai. Fluent in Hindi, she also acts in Bengali and Marathi. Her notable roles include a Titan ad with Aamir Khan, TV’s first foreign bahu, Queen Helena in Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, and Sonia Gandhi in The Accidental Prime Minister—a global first. In 2019, she turned producer with Majnu ki Juliet and starred in the web series State of Siege: 26/11 in 2020.

Eishita is a renowned independent Indian artist known for her Hindustani classical vocals and lyricism. She began as a journalist and anchor with NDTV before transitioning to music production for OTT platforms, TV, and radio. Her work includes jingles, title tracks, and sonic branding for major names like &Pictures, NDTV Imagine, Big FM, Disney, HDFC, and Eikam.