When Siddharth Anand’s Fighter released in 2024, the film arrived with massive expectations.
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, the movie attempted to bring India’s aerial combat world to the big screen.
It was promoted as a tribute to the Indian Air Force. However, Fighter underperformed at the box office.
Adding to that, director Siddharth Anand reportedly said that a major reason audiences did not connect with Fighter was because many Indians had never experienced air travel.
Therefore, they could not relate to the world shown in the film.
Many people lashed out at the explanation and argued that great cinema does not require audiences to personally experience something to connect with it.
Now, the arrival of Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar has brought the debate back into the spotlight.
The series, based on the Indian Air Force’s role during the 1999 Kargil War, has received praise from viewers.
It basically presents the lives, challenges and sacrifices of Air Force personnel with a more grounded approach.
This difference in storytelling has once again sparked comparisons with Fighter.
Social media users are now trolling Siddharth Anand, saying that aerial action does not need glamorous songs, beachside sequences or larger-than-life moments to impress audiences.
They argue that viewers connect more strongly when the story focuses on authenticity, emotions and the courage of real heroes.
Many online reactions suggest that Operation Safed Sagar has shown how an Indian Air Force story can be presented with seriousness and respect.
The series highlights the bravery of the Golden Arrows squadron and the challenges faced during Operation Safed Sagar in the Kargil conflict.
And because of the timing, Siddharth Anand’s old comment has once again returned to social media discussions.
This has also given critics another reason to compare the two approaches to telling stories about India’s skies.
When Fighter was released, director Siddharth Anand said that 90% of people had never boarded a plane, which is why they didn’t like his movie.
He should watch Operation Safed Sagar on Netflix to understand how a series about the Indian Air Force should be made, instead of…
— Kapil (@kapsology) August 9, 2026
