Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Saare Jahan Se Accha: Covert struggles of a young India
Released on the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day, Saare Jahan Se Accha: The Silent Guardians on Netflix is a tautly crafted spy thriller that plunges viewers into the covert struggles of a young nation in the 1960s, and ’70s. Named after the 1904 patriotic Urdu song Saare Jahan Se Accha (or Taranah-e-Hind), penned by Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Season 1 of the series is a portrait of conflicts born of colonialism among nations bound by shared histories, literature, culture, and poetry.
Created by Gaurav Shukla, the series is historical fiction rooted in real events, none more pivotal than the life and mysterious death of Dr. Homi J. Bhabha. Revered as the “father of India’s nuclear program,” Bhabha was a physicist, educated at Cambridge, and drawn into nuclear research. He envisioned atomic energy as the foundation of India’s industrial future. With J. R. D. Tata’s support, he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1945 and later the Atomic Energy Establishment at Trombay. His untimely death in the 1966 Mont Blanc plane crash altered India’s nuclear trajectory. In his honor, the institute was renamed the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). This history provides the spark for the espionage saga at the core of the show.
Equally central is the creation of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s foreign intelligence agency, founded in 1968 under R. N. Kao. In the wake of Bhabha’s death, India’s security vulnerabilities became undeniable. R&AW’s mission: safeguard sovereignty, gather intelligence abroad, and counter Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions. The Silent Guardians dramatizes these formative years through Vishnu Shankar’s covert mission as a diplomat in Islamabad. The series honors the sacrifices of operatives who worked in the shadows, often at the cost of their lives, and almost always without recognition.
A cast & crew that thrill
At its heart is Vishnu Shankar (Pratik Gandhi), a hyperaware, intelligent R&AW officer who balances the poise of a diplomat with the cunning of a seasoned spy. Gandhi’s performance is magnetic: sharp, understated, and quietly noble. His calm wit and confidence inspire trust, whether in tender moments with his wife Mohini (Tillotama Shome) or in tense but always humane interactions with his colleague Sukhbir.
The supporting cast is equally compelling. Kritika Kamra shines as Fatima Khan, a fearless Pakistani journalist caught between truth and survival. Suhail Nayyar’s Sukhbir, alias Rafiq, blends warmth, wit, desperation, and loyalty in his perilous double life. Sunny Hinduja chills as Ali Murtaza Malik, the ruthless ISI chief, who can sense a spy with a handshake. His commanding presence, impeccable dialogue delivery in the local dialect, and piercing gaze leave a lasting impression. Tillotama Shome gives Mohini depth as the conflicted yet devoted wife of a spy, while Rajat Kapoor imbues R. N. Kao with calm authority and steel.
Visually, cinematographers Dmytro Nedria, Debojeet Ray, and Jay I. Patel capture the bustling streets of Karachi and Islamabad, the frenetic stock exchanges, the shadowy alleys, and the smoky Parisian bars where an ISI operative stumbles into a carefully laid trap. Aarif Sheikh’s editing keeps the six-episode arc tense and binge-worthy, while Ketan Sodha’s score sustains the urgency of every mission.
The price of patriotism
One of the series’ triumphs is its exploration of patriotism. On the Indian side, patriotism emerges as a collective duty: the ability to think on one’s feet, exploit corruption, show strategic foresight, and sacrifice for the nation’s well-being. Across the border, it manifests as individual bravado—ego-driven, reckless, and tied as much to personal pride as to national ambition. This contrast elevates the narrative beyond a conventional spy-versus-spy duel.
By the final credits, the series leaves a sobering reminder of the immense human stakes behind history’s headlines. From the explosion that kills Bhabha, to the destruction of a French shipment carrying radioactive material, to the sacrifices of informants like the Pakistani Brigadier Naushad—who, under duress, provides Vishnu Shankar with crucial intelligence on Pakistan’s nuclear procurement before being caught and killed by Murtaza—the show underscores that espionage is waged in silence, far from public memory, yet with consequences that shape nations.
Saare Jahan Se Accha: The Silent Guardians brought back memories of family visits to the beautifully manicured BARC gardens near our home in Chembur. It reminded me of Dr. Homi Bhabha’s unwavering dedication to the study of physics, and the film stirred a deep sense of national pride. This is a story of loyalty, betrayal, and the invisible guardians shaping India’s destiny. With gripping writing, stellar performances, and a compelling protagonist, it’s a must-watch espionage thriller.