‘I Found My Hero in Wing. Cdr. Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal’

Abhay Verma has earned his stripes portraying Wing Cdr. Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal in Netflix’s superhit military drama Operation Safed Sagar. The realistic account of the Indian Air Force’s historic combat mission during the Kargil War and the courage of the officers has struck an emotional chord.

Overwhelmed with the response, Abhay says even though none of them had expected such a reception, he himself had been hoping that the stories of these real heroes would create feelings of gratitude in the hearts of the people of the country.

Abhay plays the then 25-year-old Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal, an exceptionally skilled pilot whose confidence was sometimes described as reckless, a man who made an indelible mark before perishing in a routine flying sortie in 2009.

“He was flamboyant, and even today, when his comrades talk about him, the respect is mixed with a mischievous twinkle in their eyes,” he says, adding, “The best compliment for me was his daughter’s comment that she found shades of her father in my portrayal. That made me so happy. I can truly say that I found my hero while I was playing him; it was really overwhelming to just be him.”

Twenty-eight-year-old Abhay’s own career trajectory makes an interesting arc. He began as a junior artiste in Super 30, gained recognition with The Family Man 2 in 2019, and made his film debut with the 2023 film Safed. However, it was his role in the horror comedy Munjya in 2024 that propelled him into the spotlight. The actor’s next big-ticket outing is Shah Rukh Khan’s King, opposite Suhana Khan.

Sharing screen space with his matinée idol SRK is a personal milestone for Abhay, who calls the superstar his “best teacher.” “Shah Rukh Khan is someone we all look up to in many ways. I got to spend a good amount of time with him on the first day we met itself. He never once made me feel he was a legend. He talks to you as an equal. His passion speaks volumes and he is committed. In fact, Abhishek Bachchan Sir, Rani Ma’am, all these people are just so kind-hearted, and when you meet them, you realize this is the reason they are where they are.”

Beyond King, Abhay has an interesting roster of films, including Laikey Laikaa, Jacob Cardoso, and Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Dilkashi. “I am getting to do different films, and with Dilkashi I have ticked several boxes, including working with Lijo Sir, in a film produced by Hansal Mehta and with music by Rahman Sir. Just winning the trust of all these people, including Siddharth Anand Sir (director of King), is just surreal for a boy from Panipat who dreamt of becoming an actor, and is getting way more opportunities and way bigger ones than he deserves,” he says with all humility.