The conversation around Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s next has taken a clearer shape. After initial reports of him planning a film on Operation Sindoor — India’s military response to the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam — it is now learnt that the project draws from Lt Gen KJS ‘Tiny’ Dhillon’s book, Operation Sindoor: The Untold Story of India’s Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan.
A story of scale, strategy and sacrifice
Positioning the film as both timely and significant, Agnihotri says the idea is to go beyond headlines and capture the depth of the operation.“I have always believed in telling stories that are uncomfortable but necessary. My effort is to bring this story of courage, professionalism, and strategic clarity to audiences with authenticity, while also presenting it as an edge-of-the-seat cinematic experience,” he told Hindustan Times.The film will chronicle the events between May 6 and May 10, 2025, offering a detailed look at how the operation unfolded.
Research-driven approach to storytelling
Backed by I Am Buddha Production and T-Series, led by Bhushan Kumar, the project is being mounted as a research-heavy narrative.Agnihotri revealed, “We have conducted ground-level research in collaboration with multiple wings of the Armed Forces to understand not just what happened, but how and why it happened. What emerges is far more complex and precise than what’s available in the public domain.”
‘Important to document such moments’: Bhushan Kumar
Echoing the sentiment, Bhushan Kumar calls the film a significant undertaking rather than just a cinematic retelling.“Some stories are not chosen; they choose you. Operation Sindoor is one such story. When a nation goes through events of such magnitude, it becomes important to document them truthfully,” he said.Casting choices and release timelines remain undisclosed at this stage, with the makers expected to reveal more in the coming months.
Continuing a pattern of real-life inspired narratives
The film follows Agnihotri’s recent work, The Bengal Files, which concluded his investigative trilogy after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files.With Operation Sindoor, the filmmaker appears set to return to a familiar space — blending real events with cinematic storytelling, while aiming to spark conversation around recent history.
