Less than five years after the abrogation of Article 370, creator-producer Aditya Dhar is ready with a political thriller that, he says, examines the events around the revocation of the special status that was granted to Jammu and Kashmir. A film of this nature is tough to pull off, given the sensitivity of the subject. To make Article 370, Dhar did what he did for his last directorial venture, Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)—seek the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) approval and do due diligence.

“I was always clear that I won’t bypass protocol. For Uri, I presented the script to the ADGPI [Additional Directorate General of Public Information], and took approvals from every department at every stage. The MoD had to give us clearances. I have understood two important things—first, they give better feedback than 99 per cent of people from the [film] industry. Second, the procedures make our life easier. After that, no one can harass us or stop our shoot. You have to show them your paperwork, you have to do your homework, and if your intent is correct, they will help you out,” says the producer.