Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran

In the late 1990s, India found itself in a precarious position, with no powerful allies to lean on following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, Pakistan had forged strong ties with the US and China, leaving India vulnerable to one-sided deals that could weaken its military and financial standing. Against this backdrop, Ashwat Raina (John Abraham), a shrewd officer in the Indian government's Research & Strategy group, hatched a plan to conduct nuclear tests as a strategic bulwark against both China and Pakistan.

Ashwat's vision was to keep the tests under wraps, aware that if the US got wind of it, they might attack India. He presented his report to then-Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Suresh Yadav (Satinder Singh Gahlot), who took credit for the idea and convinced the PM to authorize the test. However, Ashwat's warning about maintaining secrecy was ignored, and US satellites picked up signs of test preparations in 1995. Under intense pressure, India had to call off the tests, a humiliating failure that saw Ashwat made a scapegoat by his boss and subsequently fired.

Ashwat retreated to Mussorie with his family, starting a small IAS coaching class to make ends meet. His wife Sushma Raina (Anuja Sathe) was bitter about her husband's neglect of household duties. The tides turned in 1998 when the Vajpayee government took power, bringing with it a new Principal Secretary to the PM, Himanshu Shukla (Boman Irani). Himanshu sought out Ashwat, recognizing the genius behind his abandoned plan. Ashwat revealed that US Lacrosse satellites kept constant watch over India, day and night, making it crucial for the Indian Space Agency to keep tabs on them.

Himanshu appointed Ashwat to assemble a team for the tests, and he set about selecting the right experts. He chose Dr. Viraf Wadia (Aditya Hitkari) from BARC to supply the bomb, Dr. Naresh Sinha (Yogendra Tiku) from DRDO to provide the necessary explosives, Major Prem (Vikas Kumar) from the Army to handle logistics and infrastructure in Pokhran, Puru Ranganathan (Ajay Shankar) from Indian Space Agency for mission support, and Capt. Ambalika Bandopadhyay (Diana Penty) from RAW for security and secrecy.

As the team converges at Pokhran fort, Ashwat (actor name) presents a daunting challenge: the imperative to test six nuclear explosives within a narrow 30-day window on the treacherous Pokhran range. Prem's keen-eyed observation reveals three sunken wells already filled with water, as well as three naturally dried craters that can be prepared for detonation. Meanwhile, Puru warns of two daily blind spots when US satellites are absent from the skies above Pokhran.

With security protocols in place and a strict adherence to timing, the team begins work, carefully scheduling their activities during the limited periods when satellite surveillance is nonexistent. As the clock ticks, six nuclear explosives arrive at BARC, then transit through Mumbai and Jaisalmer before finally reaching Pokhran. However, just as the project gains momentum, the Vajpayee government faces an existential threat: coalition partners withdraw their support, prompting Himanshu to issue a sudden directive to halt all further work.

Ashwat persuades Himanshu to reconsider, emphasizing the need to complete the tests before a no-confidence motion can be tabled in parliament. With only 10 days remaining instead of the original 15, the team must now work double shifts during the day, battling frequent sandstorms that disrupt their planning and undermine their focus.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Spy (Darshan Pandya) and CIA operative Daniel (Mark Bennington) detect inconsistencies in satellite imagery and grow suspicious of the team's true identities. They begin monitoring Ashwat's phone calls, uncovering his involvement in a failed test from 1995. The Pakistani spy makes a provocative phone call to Ashwat's wife, alleging an affair with Ambalika. He also secretly bugs Ashwat's guest house room, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation.

As Sushma arrives at Pokhran, she unwittingly stumbles upon Ashwat alone with Ambalika in his room. Her worst fears are confirmed, leading to a heated argument with her husband. Amidst this turmoil, Daniel overhears Ashwat revealing the crucial passcode and timing details for that night's blind-spot. Daniel swiftly requests his colleague Steven to assign an additional satellite to monitor Pokhran during the brief window of surveillance absence.

Coincidentally, one of the generators malfunctions that night, effectively shutting down operations. Unbeknownst to the team, ISA has been alerted to the extra satellite and now knows the blind spot's duration – a mere hour. In response, Himanshu orders Ashwat once more to discontinue the project, but fate intervenes, leaving the team on shaky ground as they face another day of uncertainty.

As a masterstroke of deception, Ashwat persuades Himanshu to spread a false rumor that India is poised to launch an attack on Pakistan along the Line of Control, effectively diverting US satellites from monitoring the Pokhran test site. The ruse pays off, granting Ashwat's team a precious eight-hour window of unimpeded secrecy in which to complete their clandestine operation. Just as they're about to finalize the mission, a Pakistani spy discovers that India has unexpectedly requisitioned all onions in the Jaisalmer region - an unusual move, given that these vegetables possess unique properties that can absorb radiation. The spy frantically tries to alert Daniel (character not specified), but his pleas fall on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, the Pak spy manages to infiltrate Ashwat's guest house and engages in a intense hand-to-hand combat before escaping with crucial evidence: a mobile phone containing the precise timing for the impending nuclear blast. Unbeknownst to him, Daniel is already in contact with Steven, who has re-routed the US satellite just in time to detect India's preparations at Pokhran. As the clock ticks closer to the fateful hour of 3:45 PM on May 11th, 1998, Himanshu gives Ashwat the green light to proceed with the nuclear test, marking a seismic shift as India officially enters the exclusive club of nuclear powers.