On 25 March 1971, Pakistan Army soldiers entered Dhaka University and indiscriminately fired on students and staff, becoming known as the 1971 Dhaka University massacre. Pakistan’s President Yahya Khan launched Operation Searchlight to crush the Bengali nationalist movement. Thousands were killed, and thousands of Bengali women were captured as sex slaves by the Pakistani Army. Millions fled across the border into India to take refuge.

Captain Balram Singh Mehta was a young officer in the 45th Cavalry regiment, which was equipped with the PT-76 tank, nicknamed ‘Pippa’. He had some discipline issues and tended to often got into trouble with his senior officers. His elder brother was Major Ram Mehta, who was trying to instill some discipline in his younger brother. Radha Mehta was their sister, and the three of them used to live with their mother Maati in Delhi.

One day, Major Ram was called to a forward area in preparation for the upcoming war. Captain Balram was denied from going to the front and assigned a desk job because of his indiscipline, while the rest of his regiment proceeded to the front. Meanwhile, Radha proved herself to be good at cryptography and was recruited into the ‘Communication and Analysis Wing’, a signals intelligence organisation that decodes enemy messages.

Major Ram was ordered to covertly enter East Pakistan (Bangladesh) under a false name, to train the Mukti Bahini, and advised them in conducting operations. Captain Balram was ordered to work on the PT-76 tank to come up with some improvements, which he did successfully. While on an inspection tour, the Army Chief General Sam Manekshaw was impressed by his innovations and ordered him to join his regiment on the front.

Major Ram leaded the Mukti Bahini in a number of successful operations against the Pakistan Army. However, during one of the operations he got captured. He was taken to a camp where he was tortured for information. However, he was able to endure the torture and did not revealed his identity or any other information.

Captain Balram’s regiment along with the 14th Punjab battalion crossed the border and engaged Pakistani units in the Battle of Garibpur. In the battle, Captain Balram’s senior officer and squadron commander, Major Daljit “Chiefy” Singh Narang, was killed in action, requiring Captain Balram to assume command. Captain Balram successfully leaded his unit to victory.

Soon after, he received a call from Radha that as per intelligence sources, Major Ram was missing in action. By coincidence, a captured Pakistani Bengali officer who had rebelled against the Pakistan Army told him that there was one Indian Army officer being held captive at a particular post.

Radha also decoded a Pakistani communication that indicated that the United States Seventh Fleet was moving towards East Pakistan in order to intervene in support of Pakistan. That brought an extra urgency to India’s operations to secure victory and Pakistan’s surrender before the US ships could got within striking distance.

Captain Balram’s troop made contact with the Mukti Bahini, who offered to lead him to the camp where Major Ram was being held. Major Ram was about to be shot for not revealing any information, but the Mukti Bahini rebels reached at the right time and shot his would-be executioner. Captain Balram’s tank unit also arrived, and after a fierce battle, the Pakistani camp was captured and many Bengali women being held as sex slaves were freed. Major Ram and Captain Balram were also reunited.

Shortly after, the Pakistan Army surrendered, and Bangladesh became independent. Major Ram, Captain Balram and Radha returned home to their mother.