Operation Ganga: Mohanlal’s Pan-India Evacuation Drama Begins Filming
Mohanlal’s upcoming pan-India project with Meppadiyan director Vishnu Mohan has officially been titled Operation Ganga. The film is based on the Indian government’s large-scale evacuation mission carried out in 2022 to rescue Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine and neighbouring countries during the Russia-Ukraine war.
The makers unveiled the title with a striking poster featuring Mother Ukraine, the monumental Soviet-era statue in Kyiv. The visual immediately highlights the real-world backdrop and historical significance of the story.
Vishnu Mohan Began Scripting After Mohanlal Approved the Idea
Director Vishnu Mohan has revealed that he began developing the screenplay only after Mohanlal responded positively to the initial idea.
According to the filmmaker, Operation Ganga is a massive project that required extensive preparation, research, and planning. He felt that a story of this scale required a superstar like Mohanlal at its centre.
The production house, led by Gokulam Gopalan of Sree Gokulam Movies, came on board after the initial concept had already received Mohanlal’s approval.
Based on the 2022 Evacuation Mission
Operation Ganga draws inspiration from the real evacuation efforts undertaken during the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.
Thousands of Indian citizens were stranded in Ukraine and surrounding regions during the war, creating an enormous challenge for evacuation teams.
Vishnu Mohan says the film will remain connected to the real incidents while giving them a cinematic treatment suitable for a feature film.
The director also interacted with several real-life survivors during the scripting process and incorporated details from their experiences into the narrative.
A Pan-India Cast
The film brings together actors from multiple Indian film industries, reflecting its pan-India scope.
The cast includes:
- Mohanlal – Malayalam cinema
- Arjun Rampal – Hindi cinema
- Adil Hussain – Hindi cinema
- Parthiban – Tamil cinema
- Bhagyashri Borse – Tamil and Telugu cinema
- Aju Varghese – Malayalam cinema
- Ajin Joy – known for Vaazha 2
The makers are planning to primarily shoot the film in Malayalam before releasing it in six languages.
A High-Profile Technical Team
One of the major attractions of Operation Ganga is its internationally experienced technical crew.
Shashwat Sachdev, known for his work on projects including Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kill, and Dhurandhar, is composing the music.
The technical team also includes Polish cinematographer Miroslaw Kuba Brozek, who has worked on the Pushpa films.
Action choreography is being handled by Sea Young Oh, known for his work on Dhurandhar and Kill.
The film’s other key technicians include:
- Editor: Shameer Muhammed
- Production Designer: Rajeevan
- Sound Designer: Bishwadeep Chatterjee
- VFX Supervisor: KV Sanjit
The team was carefully assembled because the director believes the film requires a scale and technical approach beyond that of a conventional Malayalam production.
Shashwat Sachdev’s First Release After Dhurandhar 2
Vishnu Mohan has revealed that bringing Shashwat Sachdev on board was not an easy process.
The director had approached the composer before Dhurandhar, having been impressed by his work in Uri: The Surgical Strike and Kill. However, Sachdev’s career grew significantly after Dhurandhar, leading to offers from multiple film industries.
After hearing the script, he eventually agreed to join Operation Ganga.
The composer is working on the film’s music in Georgia, where production has already begun.
180-Day Shooting Schedule
Operation Ganga is planned as an extensive production with a 180-day shooting schedule.
The film will be shot across several locations, including:
- Poland
- Georgia
- Kazakhstan
- Delhi
- Dehradun
- Kochi
Around 80 days of filming are planned in Georgia. Mohanlal is expected to join the team shortly, with the makers planning to complete the shoot in a largely continuous schedule with very few breaks.
The film’s final release plans have not yet been confirmed.
A Story Designed to Stay Close to Reality
Despite its large-scale treatment, Vishnu Mohan wants Operation Ganga to remain grounded in real events.
The director met survivors of the evacuation mission while developing the screenplay and used their experiences to add authentic details to the story.
He has also acknowledged the challenge of adapting the experiences of thousands of people into a single feature film. The evacuation involved around 23,000 people, each with their own individual experiences.
The film will therefore combine real incidents with a cinematic narrative designed to connect with audiences.
Vishnu Mohan Takes on His Biggest Project Yet
For Vishnu Mohan, Operation Ganga represents a significant step up in scale.
His directorial debut Meppadiyan earned him the National Film Award for Best First Film of a Director. With his second project, he is taking on an international backdrop, a large cast, multiple languages, and an extensive technical crew.
The filmmaker admits that the magnitude of the project brings considerable pressure, but he believes his ability to coordinate a large team will help him execute the ambitious film.
Final Thoughts
Operation Ganga is shaping up as an ambitious pan-India film that combines real historical events with large-scale cinematic storytelling. With Mohanlal leading the project and Vishnu Mohan directing, the film has attracted attention even before its release.
Its international shooting locations, multilingual cast, experienced technical crew, and connection to the 2022 evacuation mission make it one of the more ambitious upcoming projects in Indian cinema.
With filming now underway in Georgia and a long shooting schedule planned across multiple countries and Indian locations, more updates about Operation Ganga are expected as production progresses.
