Adivi Sesh Celebrated I-Day Growing Up In California

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – Telugu actor Adivi Sesh recalled his childhood memories of Independence Day, and how he celebrated it in California. Born in Hyderabad, Adivi was raised in Berkeley.

The 38-year-old said, “My childhood was filled with Independence Day celebrations in California. Growing up, August 15 was a way for us to connect with our roots. We’d have ‘melas’. As children, we’d do dance performances. I even won a couple, and we had our own way of reflecting upon what India meant. It felt even more special because in America at the time, we weren’t surrounded by anything Indian. India was only in the heart,” he said.

Adivi said, “In fact, it is this very question that drove me to address concepts like what it means to be a soldier,’ in ‘Major’. I’ve often wondered. Is India within its borders? In its religions? In its villages? What is the real ‘India?’? I realized that India is an emotion,” he said.

Adivi starred as lead in the 2022 biographical action-drama film ‘Major’ directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, with the story and screenplay by Adivi Sesh.

The film focused on the life of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who was killed in action in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

It also starred Prakash Raj, Sobhita Dhulipala, Saiee Manjrekar, Revathi, Murali Sharma, and Anish Kuruvilla in pivotal roles.