MUMBAI: Star Gold, in its continued endeavor to reach out to younger viewers, is chronicling the lives of the men in the armed forces through Operation Gold - a new song-based show interspersed with dedications and comic situations.

The concept essentially revolves around getting to know the man behind the uniform and at the same time aims at bridging the gap between the common man and the defence forces. Model turned anchor Mona Vasu travels to army, navy and air force bases across India meeting soldiers and unraveling their true stories. Operation Gold also provides an opportunity for the soldiers to speak to their families back home and dedicate songs to them through the show.Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Star Operation anchor Mona Vasu says, "I am this young bubbly girl, representing the common man, who is trying to understand what makes these men tick (getting the necessary permissions to handle their equipment and machinery is a major task in itself). I am a wannabe soldier and hence the show captivates you finding me in the funniest of situations."

Produced by Anubhav Sinha Productions, the show has already shot in army camps like Bikaner & Suratgad. Their next destination is the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune.

Vasu, who has signed a 52-episode contract with Gold, also says that traveling with the defence forces has changed her mindset about them, making her more sensitive and aware of the emotional and physical complexities that soldiers endure.

This half hour format which airs on Sunday at 3:30 pm every week was launched on 25 January 2004.