Actor Abhay Verma says his work ultimately revolves around the audience. As Operation Safed Sagar continues to receive appreciation, the actor said the response has been overwhelming, but what matters most to him is knowing that his work has connected with viewers.
In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Verma discussed the response to Operation Safed Sagar, the appreciation he has received from the film industry and why audiences remain at the heart of his career decisions.
“Honestly, that’s all I work for. I work for my audience. Those are my gods,” Abhay told India Today, adding that he wants to honour them through every project and character he takes on.
Explaining the importance of the audience in his career, he said, “Because in my story, the most important role is of the audience. Without them, there is no me.”
The actor said the support he has received from viewers has also enabled him to work with people he once only hoped to meet. He said their love has helped him reach projects and professional spaces that were once merely dreams.
‘OPERATION SAFED SAGAR HAS BECOME AN EMOTION’
Talking about the response to Operation Safed Sagar, Abhay said the appreciation has gone beyond his individual performance.
“Honestly, it is overwhelming,” he said, recalling how he frequently comes across reels created by fans on Instagram. He also spoke about the joy he feels when his mother returns home with a smile after her friends tell her they have watched Operation Safed Sagar and she tells them that her son is part of the series.
Abhay said he was particularly happy that the show had managed to go beyond acting and performances.
According to the actor, the series has developed into something larger than an individual entertainment project. He described it as an emotion that has brought people together through a shared sense of connection with the country.
He added that if watching the show leaves viewers feeling even a little more grateful for the things around them, he considers that a meaningful achievement.
The series has also received appreciation from industry colleagues. Abhay recalled getting a call from Munjya director Aditya Sarpotdar after he watched the show.
Sarpotdar, who had continued calling him “Bittu”, jokingly asked whether he should now call him “Bittu” or “Dhali”, referring to Abhay’s character in Operation Safed Sagar. The actor said the change was particularly meaningful because of their long association.
ABHAY RECALLS AUDITIONING FOR OPERATION SAFED SAGAR
Abhay revealed that he auditioned for Operation Safed Sagar, saying he makes it a point to audition for every project he takes up.
He said the audition was conducted by casting director Mukesh Chhabra and went well before being sent to the directors and producers.
It was after meeting the team that Abhay learnt more about Operation Safed Sagar, the Indian Air Force operation carried out during the Kargil War.
The actor said he was aware of the Kargil War but had mostly heard about Operation Vijay, which had been depicted in several films. Operation Safed Sagar, however, was relatively unfamiliar to him because there had been little cinematic focus on it.
For Abhay, taking up the project was an easy decision. He said an actor would be foolish to have second thoughts about working on a story centred on real-life heroes.
Although he admitted that he personally does not like wars, he said the courage, calibre and patriotism displayed by Indian soldiers during the Kargil War were difficult to put into words.
He described the soldiers as heroes who allowed people like him to live their lives freely and said the thought left him deeply grateful.
Abhay also credited filmmaker Oni Sen for seeing him differently from how he had previously been perceived. He said Sen gave him the opportunity to approach the role differently and that he did not want to let go of an opportunity that he felt was bigger than any individual involved.
From Safed and Munjya to Operation Safed Sagar and now King, Abhay has taken on a variety of characters. He said the diversity in his choices is intentional and also reflects how audiences increasingly expect actors to explore different roles.
Operation Safed Sagar, which also stars Siddharth, Mihir Ahuja, Jimmy Shergill, Prajakta Koli, Dia Mirza and others, is streaming on Netflix.
