Mihir Ahuja Shares Experience of Shooting in Real MiG-21 Jets for Series

Actor Mihir Ahuja has opened up about his experience of filming Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War, describing his time inside MiG-21 fighter jets as both challenging and deeply meaningful. Ahuja plays Flying Officer CH Bal Reddy, known as Baldy, one of the young Indian Air Force officers at the centre of the series. He said the project gave the cast an opportunity to understand the courage and sacrifices of personnel who served during the Kargil War.

Ahuja said the role carried particular significance because he was only one year old when the Kargil War took place. Speaking in an interview with Screen, he paid tribute to the pilots and other members of the armed forces who fought during the conflict. The actor said he could not imagine what soldiers experienced while serving in wartime and felt that the cast could experience only a small fraction of what they went through.

The series was made in collaboration with the Indian Air Force, allowing Ahuja and his co-stars to interact with personnel who had firsthand experience of the war. The actors heard stories from soldiers who had served on the battlefield and also spent time at Air Force stations. Ahuja said these interactions helped him understand the mindset of military personnel and highlighted the courage required to carry out their duties under extreme circumstances.

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One of the most memorable parts of the shoot for Ahuja was getting inside the actual MiG-21 fighter jets associated with the Kargil War. He said the aircraft were decommissioned after filming and that the cast were likely among the last civilians to sit in those particular jets. Although the actors did not actually fly the aircraft, being inside the cockpit gave Ahuja a greater appreciation of the physical demands faced by pilots.

Ahuja also described the cramped cockpit as one of the most difficult aspects of filming. The cockpit was around four feet wide, and the actors underwent rehearsals to understand the effects of gravitational force during flight. He said breathing techniques were used to recreate the physical pressure pilots experience, while the confined space sometimes made filming feel claustrophobic. The actor said the experience reinforced his admiration for pilots and the physical and mental strength their profession requires.

Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War is based on the Indian Air Force's operations during the Kargil conflict, with a focus on the No. 17 Squadron. Ahuja portrays a young pilot balancing his ambition of serving in the Air Force with his personal life. The series also features Jimmy Shergill, Siddharth, Vinay Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadha, Abhay Verma, Prajakta Koli and Dia Mirza, among others, and is available to stream on Netflix.

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