Operation Safed Sagar (Biographical war Drama/ Netflix/ 2026)
Creators – Kushal Shrivastav, Abhijeet Singh Parmar
Director – Oni Sen
Writers- Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi, Barun Kashyap
Well researched, well written, fabulously directed, lavishly mounted and phenomenally enacted, Operation Safed Sagar stands out miles apart from all the war dramas that we have seen so far.It brings to us, Kargil War’s airforce chapter, and it gives it the due it deserves.
Have been a fan of Oni Sen ever since Asur and this time the admiration goes even higher. It’s never easy to tell a biographical war drama. There’s a responsibility that comes with depicting defence forces ,real life people, war heroes ,politics and diplomacy. There’s a challenge that comes with getting the technicalities right and making the sets, locations and sequences look authentic.
Oni Sen tells the story with an admirably restrained tone,refusing to give in to tropes like high octane stunts or emotionally encashing melodrama or ostentatious patriotism or loud bravado.Focus remains more on behind the scenes rather than the action. And I think that is what made it more impactful , bringing in awe and amazement.
His war heroes are not just heroes, they are relatable real life people with fears and weaknesses. Their dynamics, banter and the camaraderie makes them endearing. He also highlights the courage of the wives, the unsung heroines of war. I think there was a lot of authenticity with which he has depicted the defence life.
The show’s detailing is impressive. Notice Bazigar’s song at the precise time when it was actually a rage. The simplified technicalities make it easier for us to understand. Their strategies, perseverance and relentless efforts despite crippling limitations amaze you. The music is melodious and rousing . The locations looked authentic and the special effects looked pretty decent. It reminded of the hilariously funny and terribly bad Air Force locations in a certain film.
The cast ,well actually, the ‘Star Cast’, deserves as much love as the makers. Each on of them have clearly put in their heart and soul. Jimmy Shergill, Siddhartha, Adil Hussain , Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja ,Anjan Shrivastava, Sanjay Manjrekar, Manu Rishi, Vinay Pathak , Danish Hussain, Amrita Bagchi, Diya Mirza, Sanjay Suri, Barun Sobti, Prajakta Kohli ,have brought alive the show.
While all performances are worth applaud ,the biggest villain definitely wins the show .Manurishi gets the lion’s share, is outstanding and never over the top.And that brings me to the only aspect that I felt could have been better ,dialects of the Pakistani brood.
Each one of us would have their favourite amongst all these superb performances. For me, the surprise element was Abhay Verma who played Dhali. From the cocky ,smiling, bright lit face to the anguished sunken one was a great transformation and he played all his tones pitch perfect. I couldn’t believe when I just found out that he is the” Munjya “guy.
The show takes you on a sortie of emotions – awe struck regard, adrenaline rush, anxiety and tears .It rouses emotions without being overwhelming in trying to do so.
If not yet done, it is highly recommended to watch this Kargil story that blows your mind, swells your heart, brings a smile to the face and tears to the eyes.
BHAVNA TALKIES 