Vadodara: The Qureshi twins have found themselves connected by an unexpected thread. While Colonel Sofiya Qureshi became one of the most recognisable faces of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor, her twin sister, Shyna Sunsara, is now playing an army officer in a film inspired by the same spirit of service and sacrifice in a short film, “Desh Ki Mitti Hi Mera Sindoor”.For Sunsara, the role extends beyond acting; it is a chance to revisit a dream she once pursued herself. Long before she became a model, fashion designer, environmentalist and actor, she hoped to wear the uniform for real.During her college years, she joined the NCC and excelled in military training. In the late 1990s, she became the only girl NCC cadet from Gujarat to be honoured by then Prime Minister I K Gujral for representing the state in slithering events during the Republic Day parade. A skilled rifle shooter, she was also awarded a gold medal by former President K R Narayanan.“I had applied for the Short Service Commission because I wanted to join the Indian Army,” Sunsara told TOI. “Unfortunately, I was not selected. I was heartbroken, then consoled myself thinking destiny perhaps had other plans for me.”The sisters grew up in Vadodara in a family steeped in military tradition. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi represents the third generation of the family to serve in uniform. Their grandfather served in the Army, while their father, Taj Mohammed Qureshi, was with the Army’s EME Corps and participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Family members also trace their lineage to a maternal great-grandfather who served in the British Army before joining the 1857 freedom struggle.That long-held desire to wear the uniform resurfaced when filmmaker Sandeep Rathod approached Sunsara to play an army officer.“The moment I heard about the character, I said yes,” she said. “The Army has always been close to my heart. In many ways, my sister is living the dream I once had, and through this film I got a chance to experience a small part of it myself.”Rathod said the five-minute film pays tribute to India’s armed forces and draws inspiration from the spirit of Operation Sindoor. The project has already received recognition at film festivals in Karnataka and Goa. Its poster was recently unveiled by Gujarat deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi.“I could not become an army officer,” Sunsara said. “But this role allowed me to live that dream, even if only for a few moments on screen.”
