Exclusive: Siddharth says he was destined to play Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja

Actor Siddharth said he felt destined to play Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja in Netflix's Operation Safed Sagar. He recalled that one of the most emotional moments of his preparation came when Ahuja's wife, Alka Ahuja, sent him the officer's wings. Speaking to India Today's Pooja Shali, Siddharth said the gesture gave him the strength he needed to step into the role.Siddharth was joined by Prajakta Kohli, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Ahuja, Mihir Bhasin, Amruta Bagchi and Abhay Verma to discuss the upcoming series. He said he was careful about taking on the part of a real-life martyr, but was reassured by the depth of research behind the show and the involvement of the Indian Air Force, pilots and their families."I was chosen by the universe to play Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja. I have never played real-life heroes, except in Rang De Basanti where I played Shaheed Bhagat Singh. 20 years after playing a martyr, to be chosen to play Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, explains why I was destined to play."Siddharth said he usually does not like approaching stories of real-life heroes because of the way the lives of martyrs are often turned into commercial projects. "Having said that, I don't like to approach real-life heroes; usually in India, we take the lives of martyrs, and we commercialise them for our own benefit to make money. I was worried before I signed Safed Sagar that this should have the intent that previous films have shown in this regard."He said the scale of work that went into the series convinced him to come on board. "When they told me the entire research that had gone into the entire creation, six years of research, the complete blessing of the Indian Airforce and the personal accounts of real pilots, real heroes and their families, is what has gone into creating Operation Safed Sagar.""In terms of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja's life, he was a very inspiring man in the face of war and in peacetime. I have tremendously enjoyed the privilege of being allowed to discover and explore his life." Being gifted Ahuja's wingsSiddharth said his preparation relied first on the military material shared with him, which helped him understand Ahuja's journey in the Indian Air Force and as part of the Golden Arrows and Squadron 17."Primarily, I have leaned only on the military research that was provided to me, which helps me to understand the beats that he had to follow when he was in the Indian Air Force and squadron leader of the Golden Arrows and Squadron 17."He said Alka Ahuja's support became central to the way he approached the role."More importantly, his wife, Alka Ahuja, gave me not just the permission to play Ahuja sir but also gave me the spiritual understanding and strength I needed to wear his uniform and his shoes."Siddharth said he wrote to her when he began preparing for the performance and asked if she had any audio or video recordings, or even a personal artefact that could help him connect with Ahuja."I am happy to share that I wrote to her when I started the preparation for the performance. I asked her, 'Ma'am, can you send me any video or audio recordings. I know it was not common in 99 and before to have audio and video recordings of our lives the way it is today. I am sure today's youngsters can't even imagine a different time from what it is today. I also asked her if she could give me any personal artefacts, maybe shoelaces or a handkerchief."He then shared her reply and the impact it had on him and the team."She wrote back to me saying I don't have any audio or video recordings, but whatever you create in Safed Sagar will be my memories of him going forward. That broke the entire team and me for days. She went a step further and sent me his wings. The wings are the badges you wear as an Airforce pilot. It is considered an extension of a pilot's soul. That's what she sent me to wear through the show."Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War premieres on Netflix on August 7. Set during the 1999 Kargil War, the series follows the Golden Arrows Squadron and is inspired by the Indian Air Force's air campaign of the same name.The operation began on May 26, 1999, to support the Indian Army in pushing back Pakistani forces from strategic peaks along the Line of Control, with the Air Force carrying out missions in extreme high-altitude conditions. Ajay Ahuja was among those lost during the campaign after he was shot down while searching for Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Aug 7, 2026 18:54 IST