Siddharth opens up on his tricky situation for training in MiG cockpit: It's smaller than a chair
Mumbai, Aug 2
Actor Siddharth, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming streaming series 'Operation Safed Sagar', shared the logistical details of his training for a fighter pilot in the show.
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.
The actor, who essays the role of an Indian Airforce pilot in the show, spoke with IANS along with his co-actors Jimmy Shergill, Mihir Ahuja and Arnav Bhasin in the BKC area of Mumbai during the promotions of the series.
He told IANS, "The cockpit of a MiG. It's very, very small. It's smaller than this chair. So, you can only see this angle when you come forward. So, if you're in the air, what will be your eyeline? It's not like you can look down like this. What do you see from where? What is your eyeball movement? Everything was shown to us. Even the detailing of the words. What words you can use, because there's no shouting in the air".
He further mentioned, "Everything is said very clearly in a very short time. And maximum in English. And if there's even one mistake, we won't be allowed to okay the shot. So, they will come and correct it. So, the way we walk, the way we dress, everything is controlled".
"So, the training is that. So, if you ask me, did I feel like I was flying? Not at all. Because we don't have that training. We don't belong in this kind. But I'll tell you that we understood what goes behind it. The theory of it, I think all of us have understood. That's the training. For me, the bigger training, and I'm sure Bhaji will also have a similar experience, we'll tell you about it, was the human side", he added.
The series is set to stream on August 7 on Netflix.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally a web series based on our Kargil heroes! The way he describes the training details—eyeline movement, no shouting in the air—makes you realise how mentally tough these pilots are. So proud of our armed forces. Will definitely watch this on Netflix.
Interesting that they trained him on the smallest details like word usage and cockpit ergonomics. Even if he admits he didn't feel like he was flying, understanding the human side of a pilot's job is what makes good actors great. Looking forward to seeing the result.
The Kargil war is a story every Indian should know about. These actors are doing a great service by bringing this to the screen. Though I wish they'd focus more on the actual combat strategies and less on celebrity interviews. Still, kudos to Siddharth for his dedication.
As an aviation enthusiast, I appreciate that he highlighted how communication in the air is so different from what movies usually portray. No shouting, clear words, precision—that's real flying. Can't wait to see how Jimmy Shergill and the rest pull this off.
The "human side" he mentioned is what will make this series special. It's not just about machines and missiles—it's about the men who flew them under impossible conditions during Kargil. Salute to our IAF pilots and to Siddharth for giving this his all. 🛩️
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