- Operation Safed Sagar series includes a personal tribute to late comedian Raju Srivastav at each episode's end
- Co-creator Kushal Srivastava is Raju Srivastav's nephew and left the Indian Air Force with his help
- The project began as a film but shifted to a Netflix series after COVID-19 delayed production
Netflix's Operation Safed Sagar carries a personal tribute at the end of every episode. The series acknowledges late comedian Raju Srivastav, whose connection to the project goes beyond being a member of its creators' family.
For the unversed, the show's co-creator Kushal Srivastava, who previously served in the Indian Air Force, is Raju Srivastav's nephew.
In a conversation with Mid-day, Kushal explained how his late paternal uncle played an important role in helping him pursue a career in filmmaking.
"Raju Srivastav Helped Me Secure Permission To Leave The Indian Air Force"
Before entering the film industry, Kushal was an Indian Air Force officer. He had once told Raju Srivastav that he wanted to achieve something that would make him known around the world.
Remembering that conversation, Kushal said, "Years ago, when I told my chacha that I wanted to do something so that the whole world knows my name, he joked that I should install hand pumps everywhere with my name on them. But when he realised I was serious about joining the film industry, he helped me secure permission to leave the Indian Air Force."
Kushal eventually made his directorial debut with Vodka Diaries in 2018. He later began developing Operation Safed Sagar with Raju Srivastav's daughter, Antara.
Operation Safed Sagar Was Initially Planned As A Film
The project did not originally begin as a series. Kushal and Antara had initially planned Operation Safed Sagar as a film and had already finalised the cast and script.
Antara recalled, "We had the cast and script locked. Then we faced a setback as COVID-19 happened. Later, we decided to develop it as a series, and around May 2022, Netflix gave us a go-ahead."
The shift in format gave the project a new direction, eventually turning the story into the Netflix series starring Jimmy Sheirgill and Siddhant in the lead roles.
However, the family faced another major setback during the making of the project.
Raju Srivastav's Death
Raju Srivastav died in September 2022, just months after Netflix gave the series the go-ahead.
For Antara, the project therefore became much more than a professional undertaking. She said her father was aware of the series and described it as the last project he knew about before his death.
"This was the last project Papa knew about. This is a family show for us as our family has gone through a lot while making it," she said.
That personal history is now reflected in the series' closing credits.
About Operation Safed Sagar
Operation Safed Sagar depicts the tale of the then Golden Arrows squadron and has been praised for its portrayal of the Indian Air Force, aerial action sequences and performances by the lead actors, including Jimmy Shergill, Siddharth, Abhay Verma, and Mihir Ahuja.
At the heart of the military drama is the MiG-21, the fighter aircraft flown by the Golden Arrows Squadron, and the series marks the last time the iconic aircraft was filmed in action before its retirement from service.
