Jimmy Sheirgill says 'Operation Safed Sagar' chose him as vehicle to tell a crucial wartime story
Mumbai, July 30
Actor Jimmy Sheirgill, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming streaming series 'Operation Safed Sagar', has said that he didn't choose the series, rather the series chose him as a vehicle to tell the story.
The series is based on the eponymous combined arms operation by the Indian Air Force, supporting elements of the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil war that was aimed at flushing out regular and irregular troops of the Pakistani Army from vacated Indian Positions in the Kargil sector along the Line of Control. It was the first large-scale use of airpower in the Jammu and Kashmir region since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
The actor spoke with IANS along with his co-actors from the series Siddharth, Arnav Bhasin and Mihir Ahuja.
Talking about the series, he told IANS, "I think when there are such projects, they choose us. We feel that our responsibility is to work hard with the characters we are given. The team is good. Creators are good. And the actors are hardworking. We don't even know how long it takes because we shoot extensively. It's not something that is in chunks. Like we were talking about the cockpit. The whole setup of the cockpit took almost a month to prepare. After that our shooting started. So there were such gaps".
When asked what appealed to the artiste in him about the series, he said, "I think the first thing was the script. You like the concept of the script. After that, when you are writing for your character, you try to put yourself into that situation and see what you are doing in it. And also, the director is very important. He was on it. That was a big plus point because I knew him for a long time. We were supposed to do a film together, which we didn't have in the script".
"I think at some point, hopefully, we were in it. So, it gives you confidence that the script is good. I don't think Netflix has done this before. That was also a big plus point", he added.
The series is set to stream on August 7 on Netflix.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I appreciate that Jimmy is being humble, saying the series chose him. But honestly, the real credit goes to our soldiers and pilots who risked everything. Hope the series does justice to their sacrifices and doesn't turn into a senseless drama. Fingers crossed 🤞
Jimmy is such an underrated actor. I'm glad he's getting a project like this. The fact that they built an entire cockpit set for a month shows the dedication. Netflix has raised the bar for Indian streaming content, and stories from our military history deserve this kind of treatment. Jai Hind!
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. Many Bollywood war dramas end up being overly jingoistic or full of inaccuracies. I hope 'Operation Safed Sagar' focuses on the real strategies and human stories rather than just chest-thumping. But Jimmy is a good actor, so let's see.
My father served in the Indian Army during the Kargil war, though not in the air force. These stories are deeply personal for us. I'm glad Netflix is giving this platform to showcase the bravery of our air warriors. Jimmy saying the project chose him feels very honest. Can't wait for August 7!
It's good that Jimmy is working with people he trusts (the director). That often leads to better performances. But I hope the series doesn't try to cram too many characters or subplots. The IAF operation itself is gripping enough. Keep it focused and realistic, that's all we ask.
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