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. 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.
C.H. Bal Reddy reviews Mihir Ahuja’s performance
Because you’re getting to play a real-life hero, playing an Indian Air Force officer and sitting in a MiG-21 was like a dream come true for Mihir, he said, “I mean, someone would be foolish to say no to such a project. 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. What better than that? And the feeling of sitting in the cockpit and entering the airflow station was surreal. I don’t think as an actor I would ever in my life get this chance. So I didn’t want to miss this chance. 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. 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. 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. So let’s live it to the fullest. Mihir then went on to recall a special review he got from Flying Officer C.H. He has saved my number on his phone as baldy, and he messaged me saying, ‘You have elevated and immortalised my character. Operation Safed Sagar also stars Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza, Taaruk Raina, Prajakta Koli and others in lead roles. The show is available to watch on Netflix. The show also got a documentary which shares several behind the scenes stories.
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. Bal Reddy and his wife and said, “Best compliment was from Bal Reddy sir himself. And then he said that Madhavi (Bal Reddy’s wife) said you have done a lot better than me, that something is really sweet of him.
We are going today. We don’t know if we’ll come back tomorrow. Key you only have today there, not tomorrow.
