Directors – Abhijit Singh Parmar and Kushal Srivastava
Cast – Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin, Amrita Bagchi, Vinay Pathak, Barun Sobti
Writers – Sandeep Jain, Barun Kashyap, Nikhil Ravi, Abhijit Singh Parmar, and Kushal Srivastava
Producer – Oni Sen
Platform – Netflix
Season – 1
Episode – 6
 
The Kargil War has been revisited several times on screen, but most stories have remained firmly on the ground. We have seen soldiers battle unforgiving terrain, capture strategic positions and make extraordinary sacrifices. What has received comparatively little attention is the war that was being fought thousands of feet above them — where Indian Air Force fighter pilots had to locate enemy positions, support ground forces and make split-second decisions while operating under one crucial restriction: they could not cross the Line of Control. This military drama attempts to bring that lesser-seen chapter of the 1999 conflict into focus.
 
The story takes us back to 1999, when India and Pakistan appeared to be moving towards peace. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's historic bus journey to Lahore had created powerful images of friendship between the two countries. But behind those images, Pakistan's military leadership was preparing for the Kargil conflict. Pervez Musharraf and the army were moving ahead with their plans, while Nawaz Sharif remained unaware of the larger picture during the early stages.
 
On the Indian side, the Golden Arrows squadron is busy with routine training. Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, played by Sidharth, Wing Commander B.S. Dhanoa, played by Jimmy Sheirgill, and their fellow pilots have no idea how dramatically their responsibilities are about to change. Once the scale of the infiltration becomes clear, their mission takes on enormous importance. They have to locate enemy positions, provide crucial intelligence to the Army and carry out airstrikes under extremely difficult conditions.
 
This is where the war drama becomes genuinely fascinating. It doesn't simply present fighter pilots as fearless heroes who fly into danger without hesitation. Instead, it shows how much calculation goes into every mission. Weather conditions, wind direction, air pressure, altitude, target identification and technical failures can determine whether an operation succeeds or goes terribly wrong. Courage matters, but so does the ability to make the correct decision within seconds.
 
Oni Sen handles these portions with impressive attention to detail. Mission briefings, cockpit sequences and preparations for airstrikes are among the strongest elements. Several aerial sequences are genuinely gripping, creating the feeling that you are sitting alongside the pilots as they head towards hostile territory. The inclusion of real footage in certain portions further enhances the authenticity and emotional impact.
 
Sidharth is the show's biggest strength. As Ajay Ahuja, he wisely avoids the temptation to play a conventional cinematic hero. There is no constant chest-thumping or unnecessary display of patriotism. His performance is controlled and understated, with his expressions often saying more than his dialogue. He brings a sense of professionalism to Ajay while allowing the pressure of the circumstances to register.
 
Jimmy Sheirgill is equally convincing as B.S. Dhanoa. He carries the authority of a senior officer while also conveying the burden that comes with making decisions affecting the lives of his team. His restrained performance works particularly well in the quieter moments.
 
The camaraderie among the younger pilots is another enjoyable aspect. Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taruk Raina and Arnav Bhasin share an easy chemistry, making their squadron feel like a believable group of young men who train, joke and prepare for missions together. These moments give the military drama a human dimension without making it overly sentimental.
 
The show also moves beyond the cockpit to explore the people waiting at home. Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli and Amrita Bagchi bring the families' perspective into the narrative. Their characters remind us that every mission carries a second kind of tension — the uncertainty experienced by those waiting for their loved ones to return. All three actresses perform effectively, although this portion of the storytelling occasionally receives more attention than necessary.
 
The supporting cast adds further credibility. Vinay Pathak makes an impression as Nawaz Sharif, while Adil Hussain, Mahesh Manjrekar and Barun Sobti perform well in their respective roles. However, several supporting characters aren't given enough material to make a substantial impact.
 
The show's biggest weakness is its pacing. For a story built around such an extraordinary military operation, it takes surprisingly long to reach the material that makes the premise exciting. The opening two episodes often feel like preparation rather than progression. A considerable amount of time is spent establishing the political situation and characters before the aerial operations become the real focus.
 
The Pakistan portions are useful in establishing the backdrop, but they sometimes dominate the narrative. There are lengthy political sequences and conversations that could have been considerably shorter. At times, the viewer may feel more invested in getting back to the airbase than in following the political manoeuvring in Islamabad.
 
The personal-life portions suffer from a similar problem. Showing the pilots away from their aircraft is important, but some of the domestic scenes feel like detours rather than essential parts of the narrative. Whenever the story returns to mission planning or the cockpit, the pace immediately improves. The contrast makes the weaker portions even more noticeable.
 
The writing also occasionally leans too heavily on patriotic dialogue. Some lines appear designed specifically to generate applause rather than emerge naturally from the characters or circumstances. The real story is powerful enough that it doesn't need excessive dramatic packaging.
 
Fortunately, the show begins to find its rhythm around the fourth episode. This is when the central operation finally takes over. Airstrike preparations, weather challenges, air pressure, target selection and technical problems begin driving the narrative. Suddenly, the smallest decision can have enormous consequences, and the tension becomes much more effective.
 
The fighter-jet sequences are particularly impressive during this stretch. Not every visual effect is seamless, and there are moments when the graphics remind you that you are watching a recreated war rather than actual combat footage. Still, several missions are immersive enough to keep you glued to the screen. The use of real footage alongside recreated sequences adds to the overall impact.
 
Interestingly, the more the show focuses on the actual operation, the stronger it becomes. The true hero here isn't a single character. It is the mission itself — the planning, uncertainty, technical challenges and enormous risks involved in carrying out an aerial operation during wartime.
 
That is what makes the military drama worth watching despite its unevenness. It shines a light on a side of the Kargil conflict that isn't as familiar to mainstream audiences. The war wasn't fought only by soldiers positioned on mountain peaks. It was also fought in the skies by pilots who had to operate under extraordinary restrictions while providing crucial support to the forces on the ground.

This is a worthwhile war drama with a fascinating subject and several strong performances. Sidharth brings restraint to Ajay Ahuja, Jimmy Sheirgill adds authority, and the younger actors create convincing squadron chemistry. The aerial sequences are the show's biggest attraction, while the attention to operational details makes the missions feel credible. The problem is that the show takes too long to reach its strongest material and occasionally loses focus in political and domestic subplots. The first few episodes could have been tighter, and some of the dialogue could have trusted the story instead of spelling out its emotional intent.
 
But once the fighter jets take centre stage, the series finds the urgency it was searching for. It may spend too much time on the runway, but when this war drama finally takes off, it reminds you that Kargil wasn't just a battle fought on mountain peaks — some of its bravest missions unfolded high above them.