‘Airlift’ Movie Review- Bollywood Bubble

Directed by: Raja Krishna Menon
Produced by: Nikhil Advani, Monisha Adwani, Aruna Bhatia, Madhu G. Bhojwani, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Kumud Mishra
Duration: 2 hours 10 minute
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 3.5/5

Gulf war, 1990. Iraq acquired Kuwait, while causing ruthless slaughter of its citizens. . More than 1.5 lacs of Indians were stranded in Kuwait; afraid, helpless, hungry, unable to escape from the catastrophic violence which was shaking the entire world. While the Government of India couldn’t care less about  its people who were crying out for help, an Indian businessman residing in Kuwait came forward at the assistance of his fellow countrymen. He gambled with his life, his family, his money; and managed to evacuate all the Indians safely. Air India, for this, holds a Guinness Book Record.

If the story just gave you goosebumps, then ‘Airlift’ is for you. Raja Krishna Menon’s directorial debut in Bollywood couldn’t be any better. With ‘Airlift’, he has hit straight, deep down our hearts.

Starring Akshay Kumar & Nimrat Kaur in the lead roles, the film narrates the story of world’s biggest civil evacuation. Akshay Kumar (Ranjit Katyal on-screen) plays the broad-hearted man while Nimrat Kaur plays Amrita, his on-screen wife. Both of them have delivered fair on-screen performances; but it would remain incomplete if the splendid supporting actors were not mentioned. From Prakash Belawadi to to Purab Kohli with special mention to Inaamulhaq, they are like the small pieces which complete a puzzle. Amaal Mallik’s background score is decent, though could be more apt. Priya Seth’s cinematography & Hemanti Sarkar’s editing are appreciable. The film was shot extensively in Arab & Rajasthan. However, going by how a destructed Kuwait was depicted, the production’s work is commendable. It is a 2 hours & 10 minutes film. However, it did seem slower at times and probably could be wrapped a bit faster.

However, every film is not to be judged just by usual means. It is not a technically brilliant film. Still, the secret why an auditorium full of audience went crazy while watching ‘Airlift’, lies somewhere else. From the disastrous colours of terrorism which threw chills through our spines, to a beautiful city burnt into ashes which tell the story of inhumanity; reality is often tough to cope with. From narrow diplomatic tactics which shamefully overcome a country’s larger interest to the barriers of politics which cages humanity, the reality is often suffocating too. When a film takes you to such a world, it itself becomes a part of reality. That’s something ‘Airlift’ has managed to do.

But no, there’s not just darkness out there. It also shows how there’s hope amidst the ashes. When countrymen are on the verge of giving up, one man single-handedly accepts their responsibility. When a Government is busy playing ‘tu tu-main main’ and shrugging off its responsibility, a few Government officials would still give the last bit of effort to make things happen. Amidst deaths and destruction, a little bud of love grows between an Indian who lost his wife and a Kuwaiti woman who lost her husband. When no other way is left, desperation and courage mingle up together and find a way of survival. From darkness towards light, From disappointment to hope and from insolvency to a new life, ‘Airlift’ is more than a war film. It’s a journey of emotions. Even if you’re not a patriotic, for sometime, you’ll feel like one.

If not for ‘Airlift’, we would probably never come to know about the man who put his life at stake for others. Let’s say thanks! After all, they’re the ones who keep the world going.

Go watch ‘Airlift’. You’re not going to regret it.

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.