Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War has been receiving attention for its restrained and immersive portrayal of one of the most defining military conflicts in India’s recent history. While the Netflix series has been praised for its performances and storytelling, actor Gajraj Rao has singled out his friend and fellow actor Manurishi Chadha for his portrayal of former Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf. Rao talked about Chadha’s ability to play the character with cunning and menace without turning him into a stereotypical antagonist. He also praised the show’s writing and director Oni Sen for bringing the Kargil War story to the screen with conviction and restraint.
Gajraj Rao Praises Manurishi Chadha’s Performance
Gajraj Rao took to social media to praise the performances in , while specifically highlighting Manurishi Chadha’s portrayal of Pervez Musharraf. Calling Chadha’s portrayal of the Pakistani general “foxy”, Rao wrote, “Every single actor in Safed Sagar is brilliant, but I am especially impressed by my friend Manurishi Chadha’s portrayal of the foxy Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf.”
Rao went on to praise Chadha’s comic timing, pointing out that the actor has demonstrated his versatility across several screen roles. However, he noted that Chadha can also turn menacing when a character demands it. The actor further mentioned Chadha’s performances in projects such as Candy and Maharani as examples of his range, before describing his work as Musharraf as “truly mind-blowing.”
A still from Operation Safed Sagar
One of the aspects Gajraj Rao particularly appreciated was the way Manurishi Chadha approached the character of Pervez Musharraf. According to Rao, the performance avoids reducing the Pakistani military leader to a conventional cinematic villain or caricature. Rao wrote that Chadha “never turns him into a typical villain or a caricature”, something he observed has often been the norm in Indian cinema while depicting Pakistani antagonists. Instead, the actor praised Chadha for getting “under the skin of the character” and bringing out Musharraf’s cunning, strategic mind and determination in the context of the Kargil conflict. “Well done, Manurishi!” Rao concluded while applauding his friend’s performance.
Gajraj Rao did not limit his praise to Manurishi Chadha. He also credited the writing and director Oni Sen for the show’s overall treatment. He described the writing as superb and praised Sen for bringing the story to life “with such restraint and conviction.” Rao also urged audiences to watch the series on Netflix. According to the actor, Operation Safed Sagar could potentially become a benchmark for Indian filmmakers attempting to tell engaging and entertaining war stories without relying on excessive jingoism or unnecessary gore.
A still from Operation Safed Sagar
What Is Operation Safed Sagar About?
Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War is a six-episode Netflix military drama based on the Indian Air Force’s role during the 1999 Kargil conflict. Created by Kushal Srivastava and Abhijeet Singh Parmar and directed by Oni Sen, the series focuses on the No. 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ Squadron and the challenges faced by Indian Air Force pilots during the conflict.
The story explores the high-altitude air strikes and reconnaissance missions undertaken by the pilots under extremely difficult geographical and tactical conditions. Alongside the military operations, the series also examines the emotional sacrifices and personal struggles of the families waiting for their loved ones at home.
The ensemble cast features Siddharth as Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, Jimmy Shergill as Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa, along with Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza, Mihir Ahuja, Adil Hussain and Manurishi Chadha.