Cameraperson: Athar Rather
Editor: Kunal Mehra
At first look, the Windlass Steelcrafts factory cuts an imposing figure; sparks flying, machines roaring.
In a corner of Dehradun, we observed workers indulging in some deadly-looking activities, so we decided to investigate.
Upon entering, we discovered something completely unexpected; we saw a number of familiar costumes hanging about! Iron Man’s stunning armour, Thor’s hammer and Jon Snow and Ned Stark’s ensembles!
Was this a museum?!
No, it was a gold mine! I was in a factory that produces and exports equipment and steelcraft (as its name might suggest) for Hollywood flicks and TV shows!
The factory, Windlass Steelcrafts, is the official supplier of swords for Game of Thrones. So, how did they land such a great gig? Inside the factory, I met with Sarthak Gupta, the CEO of Windlass Online Stores.
The factory started in 1943 employing only 50 workers. Back then, they produced ‘khukris’ for the Gorkha regiment of the British Army. The soldiers used the khukris to battle enemies in World War II.Sarthak Gupta, CEO, Windlass Steelcrafts
They continue to supply equipment to the American, British and Spanish armies along with producing arms and armour for Hollywood productions.
Watch the video to see how the swords and armour is made!
This story was originally published on 14 July, 2017. It is being republished as the final season of Game of Thrones begins)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)