Dimple Cheema: Unveiling the Untold Story of Love and Sacrifice

A few months back, we all witnessed one of the finest storytellings on the big screen. After many underwhelming productions from the Hindi film industry, we saw a movie that touched all of our hearts. A movie that made us weep, smile, and also believe in love all over again. Yes, we are talking about, Shershaah, where, love for one’s country and love between people who pledge their lives for their country, was beautifully narrated.

Shershaah became one of the most touted and loved films of all time. The story of Captain Vikram Batra, and his sacrifice in the Kargil War. He lost his life fighting the war and was one of the war heroes. But Shershaah isn’t only about Vikram Batra (Siddharth Malhotra), it’s also about this equally loved and celebrated character of Dimple Cheena (played by Kiara Advani).

Dimple won hearts with her charming self and the flamboyant love that she showered Vikram Batra with. Beyond the character, everyone was amused and in awe of the real-life Dimple who has led her life as a symbol of her love.

Let’s get to know who Dimple Cheena actually is, and where is she now.

Here we go!

The Love Affair

Dimple and Vikram fell in love when Batra was pursuing his master’s in English at Punjab University. They met in Chandigarh and started dating soon after.

However, later Vikram dropped out of college to pursue his dream of joining the army in 1996. The cute new relationship changed into a long-distance affair and was difficult to manage.

But, Vikram and Dimple’s love grew stronger day by day and the distance made them inseparable. They lived as a normal couple separated by distance for the next few years. She was waiting for him, and Vikram would always make sure that he pays her a visit every time he is back from the warzone.

The couple was planning to get married, in 1999 after he comes back after the war.

However, destiny had other plans.

The Marriage

Dimple and Vikram never got married legally, however, Dimple Cheema considers herself the wife of Vikram Batra.

If you would have watched the movie, there is a very filmy scene where Bikram Batra played by Sidharth Malhotra while in Mansa Devi takes four rounds, while taking a parikrama holding Dimple’s pallu. Then, he looks at Dimple at the end saying, ‘Congratulations, Mrs. Batra.’

In another scene, he cuts his thumb with a blade to use it as a sindoor to fill her forehead. I’m sure, you won’t be believing this because even I didn’t but these scenes aren’t made up by the writers, but rather were straight out of Dimple’s life.

The Director of the movie could also not believe that it could be real. So she had to ask Dimple multiple times to confirm whether this happened in real life or not. Turns out Vikram was a filmy and romantic at heart in real life. And, Cheema reveals she was left speechless and overwhelmed when this happened.

These are the memories Dimple considers really close to her heart and refused to marry anyone else after the sad demise of Vikram Batra.

Vikram Batra’s parents in an interview said that they tried convincing Dimple to get married but she refused.

They said, ‘After the Kargil War, we told her to get married as she has a life ahead. Her parents also told her the same thing. But she told us that she wouldn’t get married and live the rest of her life with Vikram’s memories.’

Where is Dimple Cheema now?

Currently, Dimple leads a simple life that is filled with love as a school teacher in Punjab. She believes them (Vikram and Dimple) meeting each other at Punjab University was a work of destiny that had to happen to help them meet and grow closer. Dimple says in an interview that people consider her life as a sacrifice, but that is not the case. She says that she has a lifetime of memories that she can live with and in the past 17 years there is no day when she has not thought of Captain Vikram Batra.

Dimple Cheema adds saying, ‘I feel so proud when people talk about your accomplishments. But along with that, there is some regret in the corner of my heart. You should have been here, sharing, listening to the stories of your brave deeds, of how you are an inspiration to the youth of today. I know in my heart that we are going to meet again, it’s just a matter of time.’

In the same interview, Cheema said Captain Batra used to say, ‘Take care to get what you like or you will have to like what you get.’ She still holds this true in her life and lives accordingly.

Dimple, thus, chooses to live her life as Captain Batra’s wife until they meet next time.

The story of Captain Vikram Batra and Dimple Cheema is one of the many stories of love and bravery from India, that makes us believe in love.

While here we keep transcending between the quest to true love, they prove that love is a feeling that will accompany you all through your life.

Shershaah reassures hopeless romantics that their ‘the one’ might be a reality and gives hope to the skeptics to give it a try.

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