Films rooted in real events often strike a chord, revealing lesser-known chapters of history. One such story is that of Major General Rajpal Punia, YSM — and Randeep Hooda is keen to bring it to the screen.

Operation Khukri, the film, is based on the book of the same name, a first-hand account by Major Rajpal Punia, co-written with his daughter, Damini Punia. Then, he was a young Company Commander of the 14th Mechanized Infantry who led the rescue mission and the ensuing jungle warfare. The multinational operation was launched by the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, involving India, Ghana, Britain, and Nigeria.

“The events unfolded in Kailahun between May and July 2000 and revealed the important contribution of the Indian Army as part of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL),” says a source. The Major led 233 Indian troops to break the three-month siege laid by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The film will also feature key figures he encountered there — the village chieftain Papa Geima, a native of Kailahun and a RUF sympathizer Sister, and RUF field commander Colonel Martin.

The source adds that Hooda, who is co-producing and acting in the film along with Rahul Mittra, has completed the script and is finalizing the rest of the cast and director. Filming will begin early next year. Mittra, who has known Hooda since Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011) and Main Hoon Charles (2015), says collaborating again was natural. “We both liked the subject… Both of us felt that the story of Operation Khukri had to be told.”

Since acquiring the rights, Hooda has remained deeply involved in the creative process. “Randeep is very meticulous and hardworking… We are aiming to start pre-production by early 2026 though it depends on when the first draft is finalized,” says Mittra, adding that the team will shoot in India and Africa.

Following the success of Jaat, Randeep Hooda is set to headline Operation Khukri, a gripping war drama based on one of the Indian Army’s most daring peacekeeping missions abroad.

Inspired by real events from 2000, the film recounts the story of 233 Indian soldiers held hostage in Sierra Leone (West Africa) by rebel forces, and the high-risk rescue mission that followed. Randeep will portray Major General Rajpal Punia (then a young Company Commander), who led his men through 75 days of siege and executed an audacious jungle warfare operation.

The film is adapted from Penguin Random House India’s bestseller Operation Khukri: The Untold Story of the Indian Army’s Bravest Peacekeeping Mission Abroad. The screen rights have been secured by Rahul Mittra Films and Randeep Hooda Films.

Randeep says, “This story is about sacrifice, brotherhood and bravery in the face of impossible odds. Portraying Major General Rajpal Punia is an honour. Our goal is to bring to light a chapter in Indian military history that exemplifies the spirit of soldiers who never surrender.”

History gives us stories that are richer than our imagination. Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma will agree with this. Only a few months ago, he told the story of late football coach-manager Syed Abdul Rahim with Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan. Now, the director has found his next in the faraway locales of West Africa. Sharma is set to direct Operation Khukri, based on the Indian Armed Forces’ mission in Sierra Leone.

In July 2000, several countries, including India, sent their troops to Sierra Leone as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission. This was the first time when the peacekeeping mission was being spearheaded by an Indian soldier as Force Commander. But soon, Indian soldiers were surrounded and held hostage at Kailahun in the West African country. Indian Armed Forces’ personnel from 14th Mech Infantry, 5/8th Gorkha Rifles, Para SF Forces, Indian Air Force and several different divisions came together to execute the rescue mission, named Operation Khukri. The event highlighted the Indian Armed Forces’ professional competence internationally.

Excited about adding a mission film to his résumé, Sharma calls it a once-in-a lifetime project. “I am happy that Athena E&M and Chrome Pictures are backing this important story waiting to be told,” he says. Doing justice to the story and its scale will be tough, he admits.

“The biggest challenge is to showcase the massive scale of this operation, which involved various parts of Indian Armed Forces. Added to that is the complexity of telling a story inspired by true events, which happened in a foreign territory.” 

Casting will be finalized at a later stage. For now, Girish Kohli of Kesari (2019) fame is penning the script. He says, “The scale of the operation and the pride factor attached with the rescue mission made for a compelling cinematic retelling.”

The fauji is back in battle. After Raees, Mirror has learnt that Shah Rukh Khan's production house is busy with a project which will salute the courage and daring of the Indian Army and the Air Force by recreating on celluloid one of our most successful missions, 'Operation Khukri', in Sierra Leone in 2000.

The Indian 58th Gorkha Rifles, 14th Mechanised Infantry and elements of the 23rd Mechanised Infantry, together designated as INDBATT-1, had been sent to West Africa as part of a UN peacekeeping mission to help the local government disarm the notorious rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Two rifle companies kept as a Quick Reaction Force, along with elements of the 9th Para (SF), were added to the Indian forces. By mid-April 2000, two of the companies of INDBATT-1 were deployed in Kailahun, while the rest were dispatched to Daru.

On May 1, the rebels attacked and captured Kenyan soldiers forces at Makeni. Due to a communication gap, some of the INDBATT-1 commanders in Kailahun were also taken captive. While some were released within 10 days, a few, including those who had gone to negotiate, were taken into 'honourable custody' by the RUF.

The situation worsened as the rebels disarmed 500 Kenyan peacekeepers and began advancing towards Freetown. While the British troops evacuated the civilians there, Indian soldiers were sent to Magburaka where they rescued several Kenyans in successful ambushes. But back in Kailahun, two companies of the 58th Gorkha Rifles remained in their base camp, surrounded by hundreds of armed and barbaric rebels. For 75 days, negotiations for the release of the 223 peacekeepers continued. The Nigerians took particular pleasure from the misery of the Indian soldiers.When all negotiations failed, despite the Americans and British advocating patience and restraint, India decided to take matters into its hands to rescue the soldiers. 'Operation Khukri' was launched, in a tropical forest in West Africa, to break the siege at Kailahun. The IAF was given the responsibility, along with several restraints, and lead by Group Captain BS Siwach AVSM VM carried out the operation on July 15 and 16, 2000. About 120 Special Force operators commanded by Major (now Lt. Col.) Harinder Sood were airlifted from Delhi to spearhead the initiative to rescue the 223 men. The near impossible, soft rescue mission, carried out along with UNAMSIL forces which consisted largely of Indian peacekeepers, was a success. During the operation, the IAF contingent flew a total of 98 sorties over 66:05 hours. There were no Indian and Nepali casualties, no injuries other than a few shrapnel wounds.

A source from Red Chillies Entertainment told Mirror that a lot of time has been spent developing the script in association with Azure Entertainment. “It has been researched extensively and will be mounted on a really large scale. It will be a true depiction of a massive military operation and will celebrate our heroes. The director and cast are being finalised, the film will roll later this year,“ informed the source, adding that the ambitious project is among the most expensive SRK's production house has undertaken. “It will be shot in real locations in Africa with some real armed combat battle scenes.“