Airlift Review

One line Review: 'Airlift' narrates the story of an unsung hero who with his wit and courage managed to rescue more that 1 lakh 70 thousand Indians stranded in a war zone of 'Kuwait'.

Positive Points: The movie is engrossing and gripping from the point it started to where it ended. It is one such film that has both its first and second half equally powerful with no dull moments. The way the plot is executed is praiseworthy. The film is exceptionally inspiring and leaves a strong impact on you. Supremely talented Akshay Kumar steals your heart with his exceptional performance.

Negative Points: It is a sincere attempt of the director and the entire team to narrate an inspirational tale has to be appreciated. Minor loopholes can be easily forgiven. One major casting draw back was of the Iraqi Army General who had multiple scenes with Akshay. His acting was pale and his accent was plain annoying.

Plot: The film is based on a real life incident, narrated from the perspective of a man who managed the evacuation over 1 lakh 70 thousand Indians from the war torn streets of Kuwait. Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar) is a wealthy businessman settled in Kuwait with his wife Amrita (Nimrat Kaur) and a daughter. The film depicts how a man who is well equipped with all the luxuries, sidelines his self interest and confronts the humanness in him to save lakhs of Indians trapped in the unsafe circumstance. Ranjeet along with his few fellow mates try and make arrangement to set up a camp for all the Indians stranded in Kuwait, while trying to get help from the Indian Government. With nowhere to go, nobody to reach, these innocent Indians were living in fear of getting killed at any given moment for no apparent reason. 'Airlift' is brilliantly filmed and the unimaginable situation of the war zone in Kuwait and the ruthless attack by Iraq is captured and projected. The story of the tragic incident and the successful evacuation of over 1.70 lakh Indians is a complete worth watch.

Direction and other Technical Aspects: Director Raja Krishna Menon puts light on this real life heroic evacuation with such intensity and realistic approach that it earns all the brownie points. The appeal of the film is simple and real. Priya Seth's cinematography is commendable. The gripping narration by the director keeps the audience involved. The crisp editing by Hemanti Sarkar is tight and applause worthy. The scriptwriters Suresh Nair, Rahul Nangia, Ritesh Shah also deserve a special mention for their fantastic efforts.

Performances: Akshay Kumar is a gem of a performer. Salute to his sincere and heart touching performance that renders soul to Ranjit Khatyal's character. Thanks to Akshay's genuine performance, the film obtains the realistic appeal and manages to leave a very strong impact on the audience. He is just a perfect fit for this role.

Nimrat Kaur as Ranjeet's wife, has comparatively less screen space. But, she does complete justice to her role and looks great with Akshay. Her chemistry with the Khiladi Kumar is superb.

Purab Kohli also has a minor role which he delivers with utmost conviction. All other supporting actors are phenomenal in their part.

Music: Amal Malik and Ankit Tiwari's music and background score add up in giving the audience a special film. All the songs, including 'Dil Cheez Tuje De Di', 'Soch Na Sake', 'Tu Bhoola Jise' among others are beautifully composed.

Final Verdict: 'Airlift' is an edge-of-the-seat thriller that narrates the gritty and tragic tale of a worn torn Kuwait, where over 1.70 lakh Indians were stranded with no ray of hope. It narrates the tale of courage and heroism of one man, who, with the help a few responsible Indian citizens and his fellow mates, successfully evacuated those stranded Indians and brought them back home safely. This film is based on a real life incident and this heroic operation is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest successful evacuation ever. 'Airlift' is an inspiring film that cannot be missed! For the realistic depiction and the efforts to bring such an extra-ordinary story to light, is what make it a must watch. It is a republic weekend treat for all the proud Indians.