16 hrs ago
Directors Reveal How Declassified: Operation Sindoor Came Together
Two filmmakers made a documentary about Operation Sindoor.
They wanted people to hear directly from those involved instead of relying on scattered media reports.
They interviewed military officials for more than 200 hours.
The final documentary uses what those people said rather than a narrator explaining the story.
The filmmakers said trust helped them interview senior military leaders and Ajit Doval.
Some pilots were hidden because showing them could create security risks.
The directors described editing the many interviews into a 90-minute story as the hardest part.
They also said a second season is planned, but the timing is uncertain because Operation Sindoor is still ongoing.
Filmmakers Prabhu Asgaonkar and Manika Berry Asgaonkar began the documentary after Operation Sindoor and the ensuing ceasefire.
They conducted more than 200 hours of interviews with military officials and edited them into a documentary without voiceover.
The directors said trust built through years of military-related work helped them interview senior officers and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Some pilots were filmed anonymously, with their faces obscured and voices changed to protect operational security.
The directors said a second season will happen, although Operation Sindoor is still ongoing.
- Who
- Filmmakers Prabhu Asgaonkar and Manika Berry Asgaonkar, military officials, senior officers, pilots, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
- What
- A two-part documentary, Declassified: Operation Sindoor, recounts the operation through interviews with people involved in it.
- Where
- The documentary was discussed in an exclusive WION interview.
- When
- The project began after Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire; the interview was published about a year later.
- Why
- The filmmakers wanted to assemble a detailed account from participants amid fragmented and sensationalized media coverage.
Key facts
- Documentary
- Declassified: Operation Sindoor
- Format
- A two-part documentary
- Interview material
- More than 200 hours of interviews
- Final runtime
- The directors described the edited story as 90 minutes; the article’s introduction refers to a two-hour episode.
- Narration
- The documentary does not use voiceover.
- Security measures
- Some pilots were kept in darkness, visually concealed, and had their voices changed.
- Planned continuation
- The directors said Season 2 will happen, but its timing remains uncertain.
Quotes
Manika Berry Asgaonkar
Director of Declassified: Operation Sindoor and military-content filmmaker
“There is no voiceover in the film. That was the biggest challenge because using those 200 hours of interviews and stringing everything together while still keeping the story and the viewer's interest in mind and keeping them engaged.”
wionews.com
“As everybody knows, he [Ajit Doval] speaks very rarely on camera. So, 10 years ago, we did a three-part series for History Channel which had the surgical strikes, and it had two other episodes. He spoke with us at that point also.”
wionews.com
Sources
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