Netflix has released the trailer for Operation Safed Sagar, a military drama inspired by the Indian Air Force’s role in the 1999 Kargil War. The series will premiere on August 7, exclusively on Netflix.
The show is based on Operation Safed Sagar, the high-altitude air campaign carried out during the Kargil conflict. According to the makers, the series recreates the mission through research, real Air Force locations, aircraft access and a cast led by Siddharth and Jimmy Shergill.
Story set during the Kargil War
Operation Safed Sagar is set after Pakistani forces occupied strategic positions in the mountains of Kargil. The series follows the Indian Air Force as it joins the conflict in difficult high-altitude conditions to support the Indian Army.
The story focuses on the Golden Arrows Squadron. Jimmy Shergill plays Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa, known as Tony, while Siddharth plays Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja. The trailer introduces young fighter pilots preparing for dangerous missions in the mountains, while also showing the families waiting for them at home.
The makers have positioned the series as a mix of aerial action and personal stories from the conflict. The source material highlights courage, service and the pressure faced by officers and their families during wartime, without moving away from the real operation that inspired the project.
Filming and research
To bring the setting closer to the actual events, the production team consulted Indian Air Force veterans and families connected with the operation. The series was filmed at operational Indian Air Force bases, with access to real aircraft and military infrastructure.
The makers also shot in high-altitude environments to recreate the scale and physical demands of the mission. Netflix India has said the project was made with support from the Indian Air Force, along with contributions from Indian artists, technicians and VFX teams.
Monika Shergill, Vice-President Content at Netflix India, described the series as one of Netflix’s most ambitious Indian productions. She said the platform wanted audiences to experience both the scale of the mission and the sacrifice behind it. She also credited director Oni Sen, creators Abhijeet Singh Parmar and Kushal Srivastava, and the production teams behind the series.
Oni Sen on directing the series
Director Oni Sen said the team wanted to tell the story with honesty, scale and emotional truth. He noted that the operation itself was extraordinary, but the people connected with it were central to the series. Sen also thanked Netflix, the producers, cast and crew for supporting the project from development to production.
The show has been created by Abhijeet Singh Parmar and Kushal Srivastava. It is produced by Sanjay Routray and Sarita Patil of Matchbox Shots LLP, along with Mehboob Pal Singh Brar of Feel Good Films.
B.S. Dhanoa’s involvement
The series also received guidance from Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) B.S. Dhanoa, who was part of the real operation. He said the Indian Air Force’s role in the Kargil War deserved to be told and that such stories can encourage young people to consider joining the Air Force.
Dhanoa added that during his time as Chief of the Air Staff, he wanted the Kargil air campaign to be brought to the screen and hoped any such film or series would inspire young Indians. His comments connect the show’s subject to military history and to how veterans want wartime experiences to be remembered and shared.
Cast of Operation Safed Sagar
Along with Siddharth and Jimmy Shergill, the ensemble cast includes Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin and Amrita Bagchi.
Operation Safed Sagar premieres on August 7 on Netflix. The trailer suggests a drama built around the Indian Air Force’s Kargil mission, the pilots who flew in difficult terrain and the families who carried the emotional weight of the conflict at home.
Source: Bollywood Hungama.