Loved Dhurandhar? This Underrated Web Series Shows Ajit Doval’s Secret Missions in Pakistan, Is It Real?

Did you also become a fan of Dhurandhar? No doubt, it was a bone-chilling cinematic experience, and R Madhavan portrayed the role of our National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, with absolute perfection. But do you know there is another hidden gem you likely missed? Released in August 2025, the web series Salakaar explores Doval’s most dangerous years living as a deep undercover diplomat in Pakistan. Despite a powerhouse performance by Naveen Kasturia, this series didn’t get the limelight it deserved. It’s time we talk about the actors and the incredible mission-based storytelling that makes it a must-watch series

Salakaar is a thrilling espionage drama

The Storyline:

Salakaar is a thrilling espionage drama that spans two distinct timelines: 1978 and 2025. It follows the life of Adhir Dayal ( a character inspired by India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval), showing how he contributed to protecting India from nuclear threats, both in the past and present. The series uses a past-meets-present narrative to tell a story of unfinished resolution.

The 1978 timeline: We see a young Adhir Dayal (Actor Naveen Kasturia) living in Islamabad, Pakistan, with his son. Posing as a Cultural attaché at the Indian High Commission, but actually he is an Intelligence operative on a mission to stop Pakistan’s secret nuclear program in Kahuta. To gain Intelligence, he infiltrates the inner circle of General Zia-ul-Haq (played by none other than Mukesh Rishi). The series beautifully portrays this timeline by showing how Adhir Dayal gathers fragments of information, like a casual comment at a restaurant, behavior analysis of Pakistan military officials, and observation of heavy machinery moving towards the Punjab province.

The 2025 timeline: Years later, the older Adhir Dayal is now the NSA of India (played by Purnendu Bhattacharya), who discovers that the same nuclear threat has resurfaced by General Zia ul Haq's grandson, Colonel Ashfaq, who was once saved by Adhir Dayal himself. Ashfaq is a rogue officer trying to complete his grandfather’s nuclear dream. NSA Adhir Dayal guides a new generation of spies, including an undercover agent, Mariam (played by Mouni Roy), to foil the enemy plans.

Director and cast:

The Series is directed and written by Faruk Kabir in collaboration with a team of co-writers. The principal cast features Naveen Kasturia, Mukesh Rishi, Mouni Roy, Surya Sharma, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Kuldeep Sareen, Ashwath Bhatt, Sidharth Bharadwaj, and Janhavi Hardas.

How Much of Salakaar is Real?

During the recent Vikshit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, the anchors of the event referenced the movie ‘Dhurandhar’ to cheer for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Upon hearing this, the NSA simply gave a cheerful smile and remained silent on the statement made by the anchors. A silence that is understandable given the sensitive nature of his profession.

Interestingly, in one of the interviews, Salakaar director Faruk Kabir explicitly denied that the series is based on Ajit Doval. He stated that the show was created as a tribute to all Indian intelligence officers who work tirelessly in the shadows to protect the nation.

Well, it’s obvious that most movies and web series, like Dhurandhar and Salakaar are inspired by real events and made only for entertainment. Despite this, some parallels link the series to reality:

• The undercover stint: NSA Ajit Doval has publicly acknowledged his tenure as an intelligence operative in Pakistan.

• Family History: In an interview with the Lallantop, Doval’s son confirmed that he attended school in Pakistan during his childhood while his father was stationed there.

• The Historical Context: The 1978 timeline of the series aligns perfectly with the reign of General Zia ul Haq, who was actively developing Pakistan’s nuclear program at the Kahuta facility during that era.

Episodes- Salakaar has 5 episodes, namely Rashtriya Suraksha Salakaar, Surma, Grahon ka Prabhav, Vande mataram, Turup ka Ikka, each with a runtime ranging between 27 to 39 minutes.

Streaming Platform: The series is available exclusively on JioHotstar.

Languages: Originally in Hindi, it is also dubbed in Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.

Next Season?

The Series Concludes with the Intelligence Bureau Chief assigning a new, classified operation to Adhir Dayal. While the actors and director have not yet made an official announcement regarding Season 2, the possibilities are vast.

Throughout his legendary career, NSA Ajit Doval has headed numerous challenging operations from fighting militancy in Punjab and negotiating with the hijackers of IC-814 to planning India’s retaliations against terror attacks. He is the architect who shifted India’s security doctrine from “ defensive to “defensive-offense”.

Who knows which chapter of his life the next season to explore? For now, audiences are eagerly waiting for Dhurandhar 2 to witness more of Ajit Doval’s tales. Until then, you should definitely dive into this underrated masterpiece, which features truly commendable performances by the cast.

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