The film, set in two time periods, is based on the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and act as both prequel and follow-up to the series.

Mohanlal's and Sirish's characters were modeled on Hoshiar Singh Dahiya and Arun Khetarpal, both of whom were awarded the Param Vir Chakra for their roles in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

[3] The film starts in Georgia where a Pakistani UN Peace Keeping Forces reaches a building where Gangsters are hiding.

At that time, an Indian UN Peace Keeping Forces reaches there and guns down all the militants rescues the contingent.

At a function to honour the UN Peace Keeping Forces, Ajmal reveals that his father was killed in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

On 3 December 1971, Indian airfields are attacked in retaliation to which the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announces war.

The war starts when the Pakistan Army Armoured Corps attack Indian positions at the Basantar river.

The film is set in two time periods, with Mohanlal playing both Colonel Mahadevan and his father Major Sahadevan (later brigadier) .

In early August 2016, Bollywood actor Arunoday Singh was confirmed playing the role of Lieutenant colonel (Lt. Col.) Rana Sharif, a soldier of Pakistan Army.

Singh's character was modeled after a real life soldier in the Pakistan Frontier Force Regiment during the 1971 war.

[5] On 22 October 2016, Telugu actor Allu Sirish himself confirmed his role in the film by announcing in Twitter.

[7] Mumbai-based model Priyanka Agrawal was signed to appear as Shariff's wife, in two different appearances—as a 65 year old and as her younger self.

[15] Art director Saloo K. George built huge sets resembling army camps and bunkers.

The filming was conducted in the deserts of Rajasthan, the Viper population was highest in that area, the crew unaware of it first, immediately ordered antivenoms and worn heavy shoes on reaching the location.

Indian army base in Arjungarh, Junagarh and Mahajan in Bikaner were some of the filming locations in Rajasthan.

The Indo-Pakistani war sequences were planned to shoot at Uganda,[16] later they decided to film it in Georgia instead, following the Kerala schedule.

[18] Then to Perumbavoor, Ernakulam district in the third week of January 2017, where sets were built resembling North Indian borders and warfare trenches.

[23] The film will feature four songs composed by three music directors—Najim Arshad, Siddharth Vipin, and Rahul Subramanian.

[24] Vipin known for his compositions in Tamil films, is composing two songs—one is a romantic song picturised in the locations in Kerala.

[20] Subramanian composed a nostalgic song, sung by M. G. Sreekumar and featuring Mohanlal and Asha Sarath.