In June 1984, the Indian Army launched a major assault on the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, the holiest site in the Sikh faith, to remove armed militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Over several days Operation Blue Star - as it was called - turned into a battle which engulfed the shrine, involving tanks, as well as countless troops and civilians. Hundreds of pilgrims, soldiers, and followers of Bhindranwale died, as well as Bhindranwale himself, and parts of the temple complex were destroyed.
Four months later, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards, triggering widespread anti-Sikh violence in Delhi that killed thousands. In the decades that followed right up to the present day, the assault on Amritsar continues to be a source of anguish, anger and resentment for Sikh communities around the world.
In London in 2012, General Kuldip Singh Brar, who commanded the operation, was attacked by a group of British Sikhs, in retaliation for his involvement. Then, in 2014, declassified British documents uncovered at the National Archives revealed that UK Special Forces had advised India before the raid, raising questions about British involvement in the assault.
Now in 2026, over forty years later, pressure is building on the British government from some members of the Sikh community, to launch a wide-ranging independent inquiry. This feature documentary will tell the definitive story of Operation Blue Star and its aftermath. The film brings together an extraordinary cast of eyewitnesses and key figures from a wide range of viewpoints, offering compelling first-hand testimony from the heart of events. It will explore not only one of India’s darkest chapters - but also Britain’s unresolved role in the assault and the ongoing impact on British Sikh communities.
“It is a great privilege to make this landmark feature documentary on such a pivotal moment in India’s modern history. What happened at the Golden Temple in 1984, and then the devastating fallout that followed, remains raw to this day for so many in the Sikh faith. New revelations of British special forces involvement, and an extraordinary range of profound, first hand testimony - much of it from people speaking publicly for the first time - has allowed us to produce a powerful, compelling and deeply emotional film, about one of India’s darkest chapters.” Duncan Singh, Director
