Manu Rishi Chadha, Vinay Pathak On Playing Pervez Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif In ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ (EXCLUSIVE)

The recently released series “Operation Safed Sagar” brings to life the strategic, high-stakes aerial campaign of the 1999 Kargil conflict. What makes the show land effectively is its refusal to rely on noise to evoke patriotism. The story offers a fascinating look into the shadow games on the other side of the border, anchored by the dynamic between Vinay Pathak as a wide-eyed, blindsided former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, and Manu Rishi Chaddha as the ice-cold, calculating General Pervez Musharraf.

For Chaddha, stepping into the shoes of a man widely viewed as an antagonist presented a unique artistic hurdle. Rather than relying on archival footage or mimicking external traits, his breakthrough came from an unexpected conversation with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who played Saadat Hasan Manto in “Manto.” Siddiqui reminded him that when portraying real figures, the goal is not to copy them, but to understand their human rationale. Chaddha says, “He can be in the wrong for India. But for him, it is very important to be honest towards his country. Abhijeet (creator Abhijeet Singh) said, ‘Sir, we are not thinking that you look like Musharraf. We are thinking of Manu Rishi Chaddha’s experience as an actor and his physicality. How can we bring that on this thing?’”

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That justification, however, did not mean Chaddha remained unbothered by the real-world tragedy surrounding the history. Playing a figure responsible for real conflict weighed on him deeply, especially during emotional sequences involving Indian soldiers. Recalling a moment on set while watching footage of Flight Lieutenant Ajay Ahuja’s portrayal, Chaddha admits the reality of the tragedy hit him hard. “I had cried at the death of Ajay Ahuja when it happened in reality. And I didn’t know that after so many years, I would get to play the character who caused his death and so much more,” he says. The emotional weight was so heavy that after watching a particularly intense episode unfold, he had to pull back entirely. “I couldn’t stop crying… I just switched off my laptop, and I haven’t watched the show beyond the third episode.”

Switching off from such intense hostility at the end of the day required a grounded, everyday approach for Chaddha. He found that the simple act of taking off the uniform was his way of returning to reality. “You wear the uniform, and you feel it. When the uniform comes off, you have to tell yourself to let it go,” Chaddha says, noting that navigating traffic and potholes on the way home helped him step out of that space.

For Vinay Pathak, stepping out of the tense headspace was equally straightforward because the focus remained on telling the documented history responsibly. Pathak says, “It was actual history, and we were portraying the story in the most real sense one could. And if something is written so sensibly and meticulously without any other notion, it excels.”

The heart of the Islamabad track lies in the razor-sharp deception between the two. Pathak plays a Prime Minister scrambling as diplomacy crumbles beneath him, while Chaddha plays a military chief executing plans in total secrecy. Building that strained political chemistry on screen was made easier by their long personal history off screen. “Manu and I have been friends for almost 30 years now. We’ve done theatre together and traveled together with our shows. We already have a history between us,” Pathak shares.

Despite the intense storyline, the energy off-camera was warm. Pathak remembers their time filming in cold weather alongside co-star Danish Husain. “For all three of us, it was a winter picnic, braving the cold and keeping each other warm with our humor and anecdotes.” Chaddha agrees that having a trusted friend across the table made the complex work seamless.