This week’s episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati will feature key faces of India’s Operation Sindoor—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi (Army) and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh (Air Force). Commander Prerna Deosthalee, the first ever female officer to be handed over the command of a warship in the Indian Navy, will also feature in the episode.
Sony Entertainment announced their appearance as part of a special Independence Day Maha Utsav episode in the 17th season of Amitabh Bachchan-hosted show. While many have lauded their presence in the show, others have voiced opinions that the entire scheme screams “Modi government PR”.
KBC 15 Aug Trailer:Heroism or PR Stunt?India’s “Operation Sindoor” trailer sparks controversy in Pakistan.Critics say it’s a cover-up for past failures and a forced publicity stunt. Supporters call it tribute, but it fuels cross-border tensions on Independence Day.#bharatexposed pic.twitter.com/uSd8VqTNrI
— Eagle Claw (@EagleClawStrike) August 13, 2025
One user pointed out that the episode might “fuel cross-border tensions on Independence Day.”
Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who led the media briefing for #OperationSindoor, appeared on KBC’s Independence Day special episode.
— jiiteender Singh Kalsi (@jiiteender) August 12, 2025
Respect to the courage of these brave women 🇮🇳, but is showcasing a recent military operation on a reality show patriotism—or… pic.twitter.com/fHxMtgKAtv
Netizens' response on Reddit has also been loud, with one user noting, “Lol operation sindoor will be milked till the last drop. Distract from all the other s**t the government is doing [sic],” he said, referencing the debate around the alleged discrepancy in the Election Commission as exposed by the Opposition. Another user wrote, “Never have I seen our Armed Forces reduced to being cheerleaders. I blame each and every one of you who voted for Modi.”
One user described the upcoming show as “shameful use of Armed Forces”. “They always did their job silently in the background, with courage and never being used for publicity. It would be hard to go back from here.”
Qureshi and Singh were key faces of India's media briefings on Operation Sindoor. The operation was carried out in the early hours of May 7 this year to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which saw 26 people killed.
