Review: Airlift is an incredible war thriller with heart-rending performances

***1/2

Airlift is a war thriller directed by Raja Krishna Menon. Raja Krishna Menon, who has also written the script, developed the idea of this film after studying the whole incident of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s war on Kuwait in 1990.

The story revolves around a Kuwait-based Indian businessman Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar), who has a huge construction business in Kuwait. He is an influential businessman who uses his social skills to reach powerful people everywhere, from the Indian embassy to the King’s Palace. So much is his influence that he has contacts even with the foreign ministries of enemy country Iraq. He hates his own country India because of all her flaws. So much is his disgust for his country that he prefers to call himself Kuwaiti, speak in Arabic and listen to Arabic songs. He even discourages his wife 

Amrita (Nimrat Kaur) and Indian driver to speak about India. 

We are told some history about the warring nations: during the late 1980s, Kuwait and Iraq had strained relations. This was known to everybody in Kuwait. But nobody, including Ranjit and his bunch of well to do Indian friends ever thought that Kuwait would be attacked by Saddam Hussein one night. Fierce Iraqi soldiers, most of them juvenile (15-16 years of age) enter Kuwaiti homes, rape the women, mercilessly kill everybody and loot their houses completely.

Indians are spared if they prove they are Indians, which most of them can’t.  In one incident, Ranjit’s driver is killed under his nose, his business partner is hung on a crane and nobody can even dare to claim the bodies of those killed. Ranjit is saved because of his acquaintance with Major Khalaf (InaamulHaq) who seeks favors from Ranjit in return for saving the life of his family including his wife and daughter. 

Ranjit gets frustrated with the Kuwaiti government when he realizes that all the ministers fled at the earliest opportunity. He is ready to part with three lakh dollars to escape from Kuwait. Suddenly, he realizes that he is not the only one who is in danger. With a sense of responsibility for his employees, he gives refuge to them in his office. Slowly, his office becomes a safe harbor for many Indian families. He barters with the Major to allow him to set up a temporary camp for Indians but even that is looted. He knew this could not go on forever. He then thinks of India. In his own words, whenever a person is in trouble, he always calls out to his mother.

He calls up a Joint secretary Sanjiv Kohli (Kumud Mishra) at the Indian external affairs ministry every day and seeks help for rescue. He also travels to Baghdad, Iraq in the hope to get some help from the foreign minister. He is promised help but unfortunately his hopes of help are soon drowned. His only hope is India.

Without wasting any more time, he starts the biggest civil evacuation in history by leading around one lakh seventy thousand people out of Kuwait into Jordan and from there getting them airlifted in 488 flights to India with help from Kohli.  The film ends with the airlifting of the refugees but not before re-iterating Mr. John F Kennedy “ask not what the country can do for you”. Of course, there are end credits to Mr Matthews and Mr Vedi, based on whose lives Akshay's character has been etched. We are also shown true images of the evacuation in 1990.

Performances wise, Akshay is as realistic as possible. His unshaven, worn-out and teary eyed looks add a great deal to the realism the role demands. With her second film, Nimrat Kaur proves she is a fine actor. Purab Kohli, InamulHaq and Kumud Mishra all support the film well. Prakash Belawadi’s depiction of the cynical Indian George Kutty in the camp is praiseworthy.   

There are many touching moments in the film. The scene where Ranjit explains his sudden transformation and concern for Indians to Amrita is powerful. Another scene where Iraqis loot the Indian camp and the camera is fixed on a small child sitting on the stairs; the terror in his eyes and his changing emotions speak volumes about war affected families.

   

The cinematography by Priya Seth is excellent. The gruesome scenes of a war-torn country are brilliant. Dialogues are good. The best part is the dating- the film does look as if it’s based out of 1990s.  The music is intense and gives a patriotic fervor to the film.  Apart from the song Soch Na Sake, all the other songs are forgettable. Coming to the editing, the thrill keeps you engaged till the end and at one hundred and twenty five minutes, it couldn’t have been crisper. 

Many people were comparing Airlift with the Hollywood movie Argo (2012) because of the war rescue theme of the film. However, the makers of the film have clarified that the film shares no connection with Argo. Based on the theme, the film also bears some resemblance with other Hollywood movies like Tears of the Sun (2003) where a doctor is being rescued from Nigeria but he refuses to leave other refugees behind. In terms of the numbers of refugees, this film is bigger as it is based on the largest evacuation in History.

Overall, it’s an incredible film filled with realism, patriotism and heart rending performances. If you are one of those who like comedy or drama and do not find realistic films entertaining, this film may not be for you. For others who enjoy meaningful cinema, it’s a film you shouldn’t miss!    

- Reviewed by Dolly Bolly