‘You immortalised my character’: Mihir Ahuja recalls special review for Operation Safed Sagar from Kargil hero

Actor Mihir Ahuja has steadily carved a niche for himself with performances across films and streaming projects, but his latest role has given him an experience few actors get to live. In Operation Safed Sagar, the actor plays Flying Officer C.H. Bal Reddy, an Indian Air Force officer whose story is rooted in real events. From wearing the uniform to shooting at actual Air Force stations and sitting inside a MiG-21 cockpit, the role offered Mihir the rare opportunity to step into the world of those who serve the country.

For Mihir, however, playing an Air Force officer was not just about the scale of the project or the thrill of being around fighter jets. Meeting real officers during the making of the series also changed his perspective on courage, discipline and living in the moment. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Mihir opened up about the surreal experience of sitting in a fighter jet, the lessons he took away from the Air Force officers he met, and the special compliment he received from flying officer Bal Reddy and his family.

He added, “It was such a pleasure and this responsibility you have of wearing the uniform and playing a real-life officer. I wanted to experience that. And yes, it was a great experience. We had great support from the Indian Airforce. We got to shoot at their airforce station. The real locations. So something like that is what every actor dreams of, and we are blessed.”

Mihir believes every character changes the actor in some way or the other and, unknowingly, it teaches a lot. Talking about this character, he said, “I think from the very beginning, I met all these officers, air force officers, and they had such a cool personality. And by cool, I mean not just physical, but also mentally. They were so cool and calm. They are fighting for the nation, but still, they’re like calm inside, like fully. They have problems in their life. Like us. Of course, the work they’re doing is superhuman, but they are humans, after all.”

He added, “But they also have emotions, but still, the kind of zeal and passion they show for their work and the kind of fighter spirit they show. We are going today. We don’t know if we’ll come back tomorrow. And they’re still very cool with that. So they live one day at a time, they live in the moment, they live the day to the Fullest. That’s something I got to learn from them. Key you only have today there, not tomorrow. So let’s live it to the fullest.”

He further shared that Operation Safed Sagar had a no phone on set policy and said, “A set day, a usual set, there would be like, if we are shooting at an air force base, we had to submit our phones. We couldn’t take our phones inside with us. And because the station has protocols. Being around the mix. I’m being very casual about it as I speak, but it’s not casual at all. Being around the maze, being around helicopters, being around fighter jets- every two minutes, there’s a fighter jet flying across. You have to cover your ears. There were no phones, a lot of talking with each other, a lot of socialising with each other, like actually talking to people and even reading books.”

Mihir concluded, “But I didn’t read any books. Because I was just surprised by the mix around me. I was just touching and feeling the air jets and Aircraft. I was like, what are we doing? This is not, I mean, this is something anyone would dream of such a life. I’m so, so blessed to be an actor to do that and I’m so grateful for this project. I got to shoot in real locations. I got to sit in a fighter jet, the same fighter jet which was a part of the cargo wall.”