Aamir Khan to back film on Silkyara tunnel rescue with Kabir Khan as director

  Aamir Khan announced Silkyara 41, directed by Kabir Khan, based on the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue in Uttarakhand. The film will depict the 17-day mission to save 41 trapped workers, highlighting courage, teamwork and Australian expert Arnold Dix’s contribution 

Mumbai: Superstar Aamir Khan on Friday announced his new production, “Silkyara 41”, a feature film inspired by the 2023 rescue of 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand.

Acclaimed filmmaker Kabir Khan is attached as the director to the project, which is a co-production between the actor’s Aamir Khan Productions, Australia’s Mind Blowing Films and Kabir Khan Films.

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Written by Australian screenwriter Andrew Anastasios, best known for “The Water Diviner”, “Silkyara 41” will chronicle the multi-agency rescue operation that brought all 41 workers to safety after they remained trapped inside the under-construction tunnel for more than two weeks.

The film will also highlight the role played by Australian tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who was part of the international team that helped plan and execute the rescue operation.

Aamir Khan said the story of the rescue deserved to be told on the big screen.

“The story of the Silkyara Tunnel rescue moved me deeply. It is a story of courage, resilience, ingenuity and humanity in the face of impossible odds. We are especially proud to announce it on this historic day, as India and Australia open a new chapter in their bilateral relationship,” the actor-producer said in a statement.

Kabir Khan described the rescue as one of the most extraordinary human stories in recent years.

“What drew me most to the project was its deeply human dimension — the lives that hung in the balance, the families waiting anxiously, and the remarkable individuals who came together to make the rescue possible. I am honoured to bring this inspiring true story to the screen,” the filmmaker said.

Dix said the rescue operation demonstrated what people could achieve by working together.

“The Silkyara rescue was never about one person. It was about people from different disciplines, cultures and backgrounds coming together with a single purpose — to bring 41 workers home safely,” he said.

In November 2023, 41 workers were trapped after a portion of the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi district collapsed.

After a 17-day operation involving multiple Indian agencies and international experts, all the workers were rescued safely in what became one of the country’s most complex rescue missions.

Aamir Khan Productions is currently awaiting the release of “Batwara 1947”, a Partition drama headlined by Sunny Deol.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the movie also stars Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi and Ali Fazal. It is set to be released in theatres across the country on August 13.