Bollywood Hungama

Web Series Review: OPERATION SAFED SAGAR is a gripping series highlighting an important chapter of the Kargil War

Star Cast: Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina Director: Oni Sen Synopsis: OPERATION SAFED SAGAR is a stirring tale of courage, sacrifice and extraordinary valour. The story is set in 1999, when Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Aanjjan Srivastav) travels to Lahore aboard the newly inaugurated bus service, hoping to usher in a new era of peace between India and Pakistan. However, unbeknownst to him, and even to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (Vinay Pathak), Pakistans Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf (Manu Rishi Chaddha), is secretly orchestrating a sinister military operation in Kashmir. During the harsh winter months, troops from both countries would traditionally vacate several posts located at extreme altitudes in the Himalayas. Taking advantage of this arrangement, Musharraf orders a large number of Pakistani soldiers, disguised as mujahideen, to infiltrate and occupy strategically vital positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control. By the time the Indian Defence forces discover the infiltration, the enemy has already established itself across several fortified mountaintop positions. The Pakistani forces enjoy a formidable advantage: they are stationed at higher altitudes and can easily target Indian soldiers attempting the treacherous climb. Faced with an unprecedented challenge, the Indian Army seeks assistance from the Indian Air Force. The Golden Arrows squadron, stationed at Air Force Station Bathinda, is summoned for the mission. Initially, its pilots are tasked with conducting dangerous sorties and capturing photographs that can help the Army pinpoint the exact locations of the infiltrators. The risks are enormous, but Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja (Siddharth), Wing Commander B S Dhanoa aka Tony (Jimmy Shergill) and the Commanding Officer of the Golden Arrows rise to the occasion. They are ably supported by their young officers Flying Officer C H Bal Reddy aka Baldy (Mihir Ahuja), Flight Lieutenant Jitendra Sangwan aka Sangy (Taaruk Raina), Flying Officer R S Dhaliwal aka Dhali (Abhay Verma), Flying Officer Amit Gupta aka Goofy (Arnav Bhasin) and others. How these brave pilots overcome impossible odds and play a decisive role in the Kargil War forms the crux of the series. Operation Safed Sagar Story Review: Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi, Barun Kashyap and Abhijeet Singh Parmar's story is fantastic. Moreover, it focuses on the lesser-known aspects of the 1999 Kargil war. Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi, Barun Kashyap and Abhijeet Singh Parmar's screenplay is captivating and despite the long length, it completely keeps viewers gripped to the goings-on. However, in a few places, the writing could have been tighter. Abhijeet Singh Parmar, Nikhil Ravi and Sandeep Jain's dialogues (additional dialogues by Irshad Kamil and Barun Kashyap) are simple and sharp, depending on the situation. Oni Sens direction is superb. He had a considerable challenge at hand, as several films and shows have explored the Kargil War in the past. Moreover, aerial-action films such as FIGHTER [2024], SKY FORCE [2025] and TOP GUN: MAVERICK [2022] are still fresh in viewers minds. Yet, OPERATION SAFED SAGAR succeeds in carving out an identity of its own. To begin with, no film or series has highlighted the Indian Air Forces contribution to the 1999 Kargil War in detail. Viewers will be amazed to learn that the pilots were required to accomplish something that had never been attempted before in the history of aerial warfare. Hence, they'll be left with an immense sense of pride. However, OPERATION SAFED SAGAR doesnt just focus on the adventures of the Air Force. Running parallel is a fascinating track exploring the strained relationship between General Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In fact, this portion arguably leaves an even greater impact. The manner in which Musharraf keeps the Pakistani cabinet in the dark and sets the conflict in motion is shocking. The realization that these events are based on actual incidents is certain to leave viewers astonished. The series also arrives at an opportune time, as DHURANDHAR has heightened the audiences curiosity about Pakistans political and military establishment. Consequently, the Musharraf portions in OPERATION SAFED SAGAR have the potential to become a major talking point on social media. On the flipside, the series is a bit lengthy, and some of the initial portions fail to make the desired impact. Baldys personal struggle, too, is not entirely convincing. Moreover, a series of this scale and patriotic fervour deserved a stronger soundtrack. At least one song should have had a rousing, anthem-like quality that could have elevated the emotional impact. Operation Safed Sagar Performances: Siddharth plays the lead part with aplomb. Surprisingly, he has less screen time, but he makes up for it with his exceptional performance. Jimmy Shergill delivers a performance that is restrained yet packs a punch. Abhay Verma is seen in a new avatar and performance-wise, hes first rate. Mihir Ahuja comes next and leaves a mark. Taaruk Raina and Arnav Bhasin dont get much scope, but they do well nevertheless. Manu Rishi Chaddha is the scene-stealer. His resemblance to Pervez Musharraf is uncanny and he does full justice to his part. Vinay Pathak, too, puts his best foot forward. Aanjjan Srivastav does a fine job, while ensuring the character doesnt come across as a caricature. Adil Hussain (Air Marshal Vinod Patney) lends able support. From the Pakistani establishment side, Mohan Kapur (Lt Gen Aziz Khan) leaves the maximum mark, followed by S M Zaheer (Muhammad Sharif; Nawaz Sharif's father), Lalit Parimoo (Sartaj Aziz; Pakistan Foreign Minister) and Danish Hussain (Maj Gen Javed Hassan). Barun Sobti (Colonel Sartaj Singh), Mahesh Manjrekar (Air Chief Marshal Raghavan Deshmukh), Meiyang Chang (Xu) and Sanjay Suri (Wing commander Sandeep Chhabra aka Sandy) appear in cameos and do a great job. Finally, speaking about the actresses, Amrita Bagchi (Alka; Ajay Ahuja's wife) leaves a tremendous mark. Shell surely be seen in a new light after this show. Prajakta Koli (Madhavi) makes her presence felt. Dia Mirza (Kamal) is lovely and one wishes she had more to do in the show. Operation Safed Sagar music and other technical aspects: Anurag Saikia's music doesnt entice. The songs 'Aazma Le', 'Dilwaale Dilsaaz Parinde' and 'Woh Aaega' are not of chartbuster variety. Anurag Saikia's background score is much better and enhances the impact. Setu's cinematography is breathtaking. Amritpal Singh and Stefan Richter's action adds to the excitement. Atomic Arts, Knack Studios, Labyrinth Cinematic Solutions Pvt Ltd, Phantom FX, yFX Studios, Zebufx and MergeXR's VFX is of superior quality. The aerial aggression scenes seem completely authentic and match global standards. Uma Biju and Biju Antony's costumes and Meghna Gandhi's production design are classy. Micky Sharma's editing could have been sharper. Operation Safed Sagar Review Conclusion: On the whole, OPERATION SAFED SAGAR is a gripping and well-made series that brings an important chapter of the 1999 Kargil War to the screen and leaves viewers with an overwhelming sense of pride. While the Indian Air Force portions are exciting, the Pervez Musharraf-Nawaz Sharif track adds an unexpected and fascinating layer to the narrative. It is certain to spark conversations and become a major talking point in the days to come. Recommended! Rating - 4 stars