Indian cinema has capitalized on the saga of the 1999 Kargil war many times, but Netflix’s new web series ‘Operation White Sea’ brings to light an often under-discussed aspect of this historic battle – the historic high-altitude combat missions of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Directed by ‘Asur’ acclaimed director Oni Sen, the series faithfully captures the heroics of the ‘Golden Arrow Squadron’ and the human emotions behind the War Zone.

The series focuses on ground assault operations carried out in 1999 at an altitude of 16,000 to 18,000 feet in the snowy and inaccessible hills of Kargil. It shows how the Indian Air Force destroys Pakistani infiltrators’ positions through fighter jets like MiG-21, MiG-27 and MiG-27. The story is not limited to airstrikes, but also touches deeply on the camaraderie of the men behind the uniforms, the heavy burden of responsibility placed upon them and the sacrifices made by the families waiting for them at home.

 

Jimmy Shergill is the life of this series. That Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa brings a sense of authority and poise to the character of ‘Tony’ without trying too hard. Siddharth as Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja gives his most impressive performance in recent times. He brings pride, courage and emotional depth to the role.

Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taruk Raina and Arnav Bhasin are impressive as young fighter pilots. Their chemistry seems effortless and you feel for them. Despite less screen time, Dia Mirza and Adil Hussain left a deep impression. Prajakata Koli has acted honestly, though her character needed better writing and at times she did not fit well into the flow of the story.

The aerial combat scenes are the highlight of ‘Operation Safe Sea’. The scenes are thrilling and impressive, and look stunning without being pretentious. A lot of effort has gone into the VFX, and it clearly shows.

The biggest strength of ‘Operation Samare Sagar’ is its casting. Each actor seems perfect for their role, making the characters seem instantly real. It’s often said that good casting can make a great script even better, and the same holds true here. Be it the lead or the supporting cast, each character has a purpose and blends seamlessly into the story. Together they bring weight, truth and emotional depth to the story.

The interaction of the people of the squadron is also special. The tension and lighter moments between the pilots make the emotional scenes more effective. The family scene, when kept short, adds intimacy to the story and reminds the audience of how many sacrifices are made even away from the battlefield. They make you stop and think about how brave military families are.

Oni Sen, the director of the superhit ‘Asur’ series, has handled this serious subject very intelligently. They neither exaggerate patriotism nor resort to loud dialogues to create impact. Instead, they keep the story and characters as the main focus. And this truth is seen throughout the film. From the operational environment to the military details, the effort put into recreating this piece of history is clearly visible.

Despite being on the big canvas, he has kept his emotions down to earth. His greatest success is that he gets the audience to care about the people involved before the mission.

This series stands out because of its originality. The deep research done in it, the real situation of the air force and the strong acting make it believable. The action scenes are very well filmed and there is no exaggeration anywhere. The emotional moments, especially between the squadron members, are touching. There is politics in this too. However, you won’t feel for a moment that this is overshadowing the story or the real purpose of the series. Operation White Sea is the real hero air mission. And this main part of it remains till the end of the last i.e. sixth chapter.

However, it slows down in some places. Some emotional scenes drag on far longer than necessary. Some of the scenes involving Prajakata Koli’s character ‘Madhvi’ seem like deviations from the story. Although these were intended to show the human side of the officers and highlight the struggles of their families, they did not always advance the story.

The editing of the series could have been better. Some conversations repeated the same sentiments that had already been expressed. Instead of dragging on the existing sub-plot, some of the supporting characters could have been featured better.

Operation White Sea is not just another war drama. It is a true tribute to the Indian Air Force and the brave soldiers who participated in the toughest war missions in Indian military history. It honors their bravery while not ignoring the emotions attached to the line of duty. And the best part? It gets straight to the point without any nonsense.

Despite this, there are some shortcomings in this series. Some slow moving parts affect its speed. But strong acting, excellent direction and exciting aerial sequences make it interesting from start to finish.

OTT platform: Netflix

Director: Oni Sen

Starring: Jimmy Shergill, Siddharth, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taruk Raina, Dia Mirza, Adil Hussain and Prajakata Koli.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars