3 weeks ago
Kargil-era air force veteran consultant behind Netflix's Operation Safed Sagar
A new show is coming to Netflix, and it is about something that happened long ago in India.
In 1999, there was a war between India and Pakistan in a high, mountainous area called Kargil.
The show, called Operation Safed Sagar, tells the story of the Indian Air Force pilots who helped their country during that war.
The Indian Air Force is the part of the military that flies planes, and these pilots did very dangerous jobs high in the mountains.
A retired officer named Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha helped make the show feel real, because he was a spokesperson for the defence ministry during the war.
He came up with the idea for the show in 2017, and the defence ministry approved it.
Some of the real pilots in the story, like Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, died in the war, so the show remembers them.
Famous actors like Jimmy Shergill and Siddharth play the pilots, and a director named Oni Sen led the making of the show.
The show also shows what life was like for the families of the pilots while the war was happening.
It will start playing on Netflix on Friday, and it hopes to inspire young boys and girls to join the Indian Air Force.
Netflix will premiere Operation Safed Sagar, a military drama about the Indian Air Force's role in the 1999 Kargil War, on Friday.
Darjeeling veteran Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha (retd), the defence ministry spokesman during the war, is the series' lead consultant.
Singha conceived the series in 2017, and it was subsequently cleared by the defence ministry.
The story centres on the Golden Arrows squadron led by Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa 'Tony' (played by Jimmy Shergill) and seconded by Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja (played by Siddharth), Singha's course mate at the National Defence Academy who lost his life in the war.
Directed by Oni Sen, the series stars Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma and Dia Mirza and also depicts the lives of families beyond the battlefield.
- Who
- Retired Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha, lead consultant and former defence ministry spokesman, with Netflix and a cast including Jimmy Shergill and Siddharth.
- What
- The premiere of Operation Safed Sagar, a Netflix military drama about the Indian Air Force's role in the 1999 Kargil War.
- Where
- India; the series depicts the high-altitude Kargil conflict with Pakistan, and Singha spoke to The Telegraph from Delhi.
- When
- Friday, nearly three decades after the 1999 Kargil War; the idea for the series was conceived in 2017.
- Why
- To tell the story of the Indian Air Force's role in the Kargil War; Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa (retd) said such a story should also inspire young boys and girls to join the Indian Air Force.
Key facts
- Series
- Operation Safed Sagar
- Platform
- Netflix
- Premiere
- Friday
- Subject
- Indian Air Force's role in the 1999 Kargil War
- Director
- Oni Sen
- Lead Consultant
- Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha (retd)
- Cast
- Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza
- Focus Squadron
- The Golden Arrows, led by Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa 'Tony'
Quotes
Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha (retd)
Retired Indian Air Force officer and former defence ministry spokesman
“When I was the Chief of the Air Staff (from 2016 to 2019), I had only two wishes. First, that the story of the Indian Air Force’s role in the Kargil War must be told. Second, that any film or series on this subject should inspire young boys and girls to join the Indian Air Force.”
telegraphindia.com
“I was the spokesman for the defence ministry during the war. However, I conceived the idea of the series in 2017, and it was subsequently cleared by the defence ministry. Since its inception, I have been the lead consultant for this series.”
telegraphindia.com










