Siddharth on ‘Rang De Basanti’ connect in ‘Operation Safed Sagar’: The coincidences are ridiculous

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The actor, along with Jimmy Shergill and creator-showrunner Kushal Srivastava, discuss their upcoming Netflix show ‘Operation Safed Sagar’, based on the real-life hero, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja

Updated - August 03, 2026 05:27 pm IST

Siddharth in ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ | Photo Credit: Netflix

Twenty years ago, Siddharth stood on the other side. Playing a brooding, charismatic, and cynical youngster, Karan, in Rang De Basanti(2006), the actor’s heated discussions with his best friend, Ajay (R Madhavan), an idealistic Air Force pilot, formed the film’s thematic core. So, when Ajay passed his leather jacket to Karan in a memorable scene, it became a striking symbol of the baton of responsibility being passed. Ajay stirred an awakening in Karan. The spirit of that film returns to Siddharth as he takes on the role of a fighter pilot in the upcoming Netflix series, Operation Safed Sagar. Not just that, his character is named Ajay too, based on the real-life hero, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja.

“The coincidences are ridiculous,” says Siddharth as he recollects a conversation he had with Air Chief Marshal B.S Dhanoa, played by Jimmy Shergill in the series. Dhanoa jokingly referred to a scene from Rang De Basanti in which Karan criticises the aircraft MiG-21 after the death of his friend. “He said, ‘Iss baar tum MiG ko gaali nahi doge na (You won’t speak badly about MiG this time, right?)’”, the actor says with a smile.

“I don’t think even Maddy’s character would speak badly about MiG if he were alive in that film, as the life of a soldier is different. So, in Operation Safed Sagar, I got to experience what my best friend’s character goes through in Rang De Basanti,” he says, adding that he sat in a fighter jet during the show’s shoot. “I don’t know what I did to deserve it. If twenty years later, the same coincidences happen in another form, then I have no complaints.”

The preparation process for the role also involved detailed air procedures to add believability to the part. Siddharth feels that the heavy-lifting in making them look authentic was done by the creators. “As actors, our job is to just pretend something we are not. For that, we try to understand the world. But a lot of the preparation is already done on paper by the writers, which is then achieved further by other members of the crew,” he says.

A still from ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ | Photo Credit: Netflix

It is the first time the actor donned the Air Force uniform, bringing his easy-going charm to portray the sincerity of the late Ajay Ahuja. Siddharth was aware of the weight of that responsibility. “It was special because I was portraying the life of Ahuja, sir. I also got to spend time with pilots on the base. Every day brought real jolts. I didn’t take any day less seriously than the other. So, wearing the uniform felt heavy to me,” he says.

For Jimmy, who has played a cop, an army man, and an Air Force officer multiple times, the uniform is a matter of pride. “It changes your body language the moment you wear it. You feel the strength on your chest, and on top of that, with a turban on the head, it further adds to the power,” he says.

Jimmy also brings restraint to his performance as he is shown guiding other officers. He is not dramatic while projecting authority, but makes it even more apparent with pauses and subtle eye glances. The actor says he followed the brief given by director Oni Sen. “It was important to bring the human side of these soldiers. If you meet them, they don’t look like Superman; their sacrifices make them heroes, not the appearance or the shouting. I think that was also the brief given to the makers from the Air Force to keep the tone closer to reality,” says Jimmy.

A part of that nuanced layering makes its way into the show, as it’s created and showrun by Kushal Srivastava, who has served in the Air Force. “The actual life of the Air Force has not quite come together on-screen. We have mostly seen it as an extension of the Army. But Air Force officers need to be calm and composed as they are dealing with high pressure while flying at high altitudes,” says Kushal.

Jimmy Shergill in the series | Photo Credit: Netflix

Siddharth concurs that Operation Safed Sagar is more of an emotional experience than an adrenaline experience. “I am a history buff; I have read a lot, particularly about warfare, be it the First World War or Second World War. But this show is not about warfare. It is not an action series. So, we have performed it from the heart and not from the mind,” Siddharth says.