Precision. Patriotism. Purpose. Netflix’s latest series, Operation Safed Sagar, arrived on the streamer just like the Indian Air Force fighter jets that rained fire on Pakistani Army during the 1999 Kargil War — without any pomp and show. The result, however, was the same: bullseye.
Created by Abhijeet Singh Parmar and Kushal Srivastava, Operation Safed Sagar follows the journey of the real-life members of the Indian Air Force’s Golden Arrows squadron who take up a dangerous mission behind enemy lines when the Kargil War breaks out between India and Pakistan.
The themes are familiar: a young and brash Flying Officer Dhali (Abhay Verma) who reminds you of Tom Cruise from the first Top Gun matures after a stern but noble mentor Ahuja’s (Siddharth) guidance, there’s another young officer Goofy (Mihir Ahuja) who is mocked for burying himself in books and being a smitten kitten over his childhood love Madhavi (Prajakta Koli), and then there’s a senior officer Tony who has an iron hand in a velvet glove approach (Jimmy Shergill).
If there’s a show you need to watch the weekend in the run-up to the Independence Day next week, make it Operation Safed Sagar, based on the historic military campaign that was fought at extreme altitudes over a rugged Himalayan landscape which looks like an unending ocean of snow and ice from the skies.
The series achieves a rare feat of striking a fine balance between military jargon and humane storytelling without falling prey to chest-thumping or bloodlust. While it’s a story of how boys who love flying become war-ready men, Operation Safed Sagar also turns its gaze to the internal conflicts of these young flying officers. Errors in judgement, calculated risks, prioritisation, and survivor’s guilt, these are not mere pointers that are skimmed through by the makers; they are interwoven in a razor-sharp war drama that never loses the sight of its mission.
The pacing is perfect. The thrills in the air match the stillness on the ground. It is a patriotic show that has its aim clear as day: there will always be a difference between the Indian armed forces and the Pakistani armed forces — and that difference is the principle on which the series stands.
Even when the Indian fighter jets are bombing Pakistani armed forces left, right, and centre, there is no celebratory or racy background music to make an obvious point. The idea is to honour valour and sacrifice of the Indian armed forces, not ridicule or denigrate the enemy. Operation Safed Sagar is the screen equivalent of Former US First Lady Michelle Obama’s famous quote: “When they go low, we go high”.
The series, inspired by the military operation that changed the face of the Kargil War, also delves into the tug-of-war over power and perception within Pakistani politics and the Army. It explores the frosty dynamics between then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf.
Who really runs Pakistan – Nawaz Sharif (Vinay Pathak) or Musharraf (Manu Rishi Chadha)? This is a question that the series explores repeatedly, even though we already know the answer.
In a key scene, Madhavi asks Alka, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja’s wife, if her feelings will revolve around her would-be husband Goofy’s sorties. Alka, who is a seasoned Indian Air Force wife, softly tells her that everyone finds their coping mechanism. Alka then shows Madhavi a diary in which she jots down all her issues with Ajay which they try to resolve once her husband is back on the ground. She also shares an unspoken relationship rule for an Air Force Wife: “No fight before a sortie”.
Led by an able ensemble cast, also including Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin, Dia Mirza, and Adil Hussain, Operation Safed Sagar is a show Netflix should be proud of despite a few VFX loopholes and stray dialogues that don’t fit the narrative.
Also Read | Operation Safed Sagar Teaser: Siddharth And Jimmy Shergill Headline Series Inspired By Kargil War
