Siddharth earns heartfelt tribute from Kargil hero’s wife; daily praise fuels his confidence

Netflix’s new military drama Operation Safed Sagar opened on August 7, and it has already sparked a wave of admiration from a very special source – the wife of Kargil War hero Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja. After the series premiered, Alka Ahuja reached out to lead actor Siddharth, who played Ajay, and the two have been in regular contact ever since.

In an interview with Screen, Siddharth shared that Alka has become his most valued critic. He said, “I’m very happy to tell you I’ve got my best review from Alka ma’am. I also speak to her every day, so I get a new review every morning. She notices different things at different times, and points them out to me. She’s very kind.” Alka even sends him screenshots of messages from Ajay’s family, all of which affirm that Siddharth has delivered a respectful tribute to his late husband.

The actor explained that Alka’s most touching feedback is how he reminds her of Ajay. She noted, “Siddharth, Ajay bilkul tumhari tarah tha. He was very jovial, fun‑loving and badmash. But whenever he’d be at work, he’d become very focused, just like you.” Siddharth also mentioned that the camaraderie he shares with co‑stars Mihir Ahuja, Abhay Verma, Taaruk Raina and Arnav Bhasin echoes the close friendships Ajay had with his fellow officers.

Directed by Oni Sen and produced by Kushal Srivastava and Abhijeet Singh Parmar, the series features a roster that includes Jimmy Sheirgill, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli and Amrita Bagchi, among others. A standout element of the show is its aerial action, highlighted by the iconic MiG‑21 – flown by the Golden Arrows squadron during the Kargil War – which appears for the last time on film before its retirement from the Indian Air Force. The same aircraft was later showcased in the documentary The Last Salute, directed by Srivastava, which traced the MiG‑21’s 62‑year journey with the Indian Air Force.

Monica Yadav, a senior entertainment journalist for Hindustan Times Entertainment, reports on the growing buzz surrounding the series and the heartfelt tribute from Alka Ahuja.