Operation Safed Sagar Review
Director: Oni Sen
Date Created: 2026-08-07 16:03
3.5
Operation Safed Sagar Review: Directed by Oni Sen, Netflix’s military drama is inspired by the Indian Air Force’s crucial role during the 1999 Kargil War. Created and written by Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi, Barun Kashyap and Abhijeet Singh Parmar, the series features Siddharth as Flight Commander Ajay Ahuja, Jimmy Shergill as Tony Dhanoa, Abhay Verma as Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal, alongside Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli, Amrita Bagchi, Adil Hussain, Vinay Pathak and Manu Rishi Chadha. The docudrama has 6 episodes, with each running between 45 and 55 minutes.
Operation Safed Sagar Review
Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar tale unfolds in the midst of the Kargil War, and we see the Golden Arrows Squadron face a situation where growing tensions along the Line of Control compel the Indian Air Force to undertake a task like never before. Despite all the political and strategic manoeuvring being done in the background, the spotlight falls on a squadron of fighter pilots who must learn how to conquer their fear and egos to be ready for battle in the sky. This all revolves around Flight Commander Ajay Ahuja, whose presence turns an ambitious but untested squadron into a fighting unit that is willing to give everything for the country.
As we Indians prepare to celebrate our 80th Independence Day, Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War comes at the most appropriate time. The movie doesn’t bother to remind us how much respect our soldiers deserve because we all know about that. What this film does is attempt to humanise the heroes of the war by showing their fears before they board their planes, and the sacrifices that they have to make each and every time they answer the call of duty.
The aspect that caught my attention the most is how the characters of the Golden Arrows are introduced not as heroes but as individuals from the first scene of the series. Dhali is overconfident to the point where his actions can be called reckless. Baldy is always doubting himself, while Sangy and Goofy add a little bit of humour to the squad. These four characters resemble some boys who have yet to earn their right to be among the best. In contrast to giving them an immediate ability to fear nothing, the author gives the readers an opportunity to see how they grow.
Siddharth gives us precisely what the series requires. Playing the character of Ajay Ahuja, he is no god-like action star. He earns the respect without being loud, mentors by actions rather than lectures, and acts as an emotional backbone to the whole squadron. My favourite parts of the show are not the action sequences but the scenes in which he leads the other pilots out of their confusion.
Jimmy Shergill is just as reliable as Tony Dhanoa. Instead of vying for Ajay’s attention, the two men fit together perfectly. Discussions of strategy, duty, and the difficult decisions military leaders have to make bring an element of maturity to the story. At every point in the show, we are reminded that it takes more than just the pilots who fly into danger; it takes the people in the command room who make the impossible decisions.
Among all the characters, Abhay Verma leaves the greatest impression on me. It is Dhali who displays the most interesting transformation within the story. He starts out as an ambitious person who loves to prove his worth wherever he goes; however, as he gains more war experience, his personality changes gradually. This does not come as a result of some kind of forced transformation, because the process of gaining experience takes place naturally, without any kind of dramatic speech from him. Besides, the three men, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina and Arnav Bhasin, show good camaraderie within the squadron.
The other thing I enjoyed about the Netflix series Operation Safed Sagar is how it does not jump from one explosion to another. There is nothing wrong with the flying bits since these are exciting, especially in those situations when there is no time to think and immense pressure to act. However, the show knows that sometimes suspense precedes the action. It becomes equally exciting to wait for the command, prepare the planes, examine the maps, and watch commanders calculate all possible options. Even the knowledge of the historical outcome does not diminish the tension because the focus is on the people themselves.
But then again, this is where my major critique lies. Even though Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar series is very emotionally charged, there was little surprise for me on account of the plot development. It is not a coincidence that many of the emotionally powerful moments occur right on time, and some of the character arcs tend to follow cliched formulas from the world of military fiction. While there are scenes with the families of the pilots that illustrate the emotional toll of military service well, not all of the subplots have the same effect.
However, in my opinion, the political parts are a bit of a mixture. Even though they assist in defining the bigger picture, some of the scenes that take place in the background appear more dramatic than the realistic story of the squadron. Nonetheless, this aspect does not make them interfere too much with the overall plot since they do not surpass the best part of the series, which is the camaraderie among the pilots.
Strictly speaking, the production is worth its praise. Everything, from the aeroplanes to the uniforms to the settings, manages to immerse viewers, and the visual effects largely manage to make the air battle thrilling even though there are certain scenes where the usage of CGI becomes visible. What is more important, the series realises that patriotism does not have to involve patriotic songs in the background or motivational messages all the time.
Netflix Operation Safed Sagar Review: Summing Up
Overall, Operation Safed Sagar is an affectionate salute to the Indian Air Force that works precisely because it keeps in mind the humans behind the operation rather than making them larger-than-life heroes. All I regret is that it could have taken more dramatic and artistic liberties and dug deeper into the personalities it portrayed. But still, it is a show that has been well made and is definitely worth watching because of believable performances, interesting drama, and the realistic portrayal of sacrifice. In view of India’s 80th Independence Day, this series is indeed a timely reminder of the heroism that keeps the country safe every day.
