'Operation Safed Sagar' revisits the1999 Kargil War with rare sensitivity and maturity
Operation Safed Sagar | Creators: Abhijeet Singh Parmar, Kushal Srivastava | Cast: Siddharth, Jimmy Sherill Hindi series | Netflix
A mutinous General Pervez Musharraf bent upon seizing Kashmir from India; a vain Nawaz Sharif looking for a place in history; a peaceable Atal Bihari Vajpayee angered by the loss of trust; and the Indian Air Force trying hard to give cover to Indian soldiers trapped on the icy heights of Kargil as sitting ducks for the Pakistan army “irregulars”. The 1999 Kargil War has spawned much literature and entertainment, but rarely have we seen it handled with such sensitivity and maturity as Operation Safed Sagar.
The relationship between Musharraf and Sharif is fraught, and the series does an excellent job of depicting it. Musharraf (Manu Rishi) is burning with ambition whereas Sharif (Vinay Pathak) is struggling to establish his power. Both nations are pursuing their strategic interests, which in Pakistan’s case is seizing Kashmir and India’s case is peace. The airmen (Abhay Verma, Taaruk Raina and Mihir Ahuja) have great rapport and talent but it is Siddharth who rises above his character, capturing the stillness and sharpness of a fighter pilot. Why don’t we see more of him onscreen? More than anything else it is refreshing to not hear the uncivilised exchange that reduces every war between India and Pakistan to a Hindu-Muslim conflict.