AIRLIFT....lifts your spirits up

A gripping, taut and realistic recreation of a true event makes Airlift a cut above in the thriller genre. The massive air evacuation undertaken by the Indian government in 1990 to bring back approximately 1,70,000 of its citizens stranded in Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion was a story waiting to be told. The director, Raja Menon has done it quite capably through Akshay Kumar, our new age Manoj Kumar (minus his jingoism), vis-a-vis his recent spate of patriotic movies told stylishly in a mainstream cinematic context. 

Akshay is spot on as Ranjit Katiyal, the hard core businessman who is forced to remember his roots in times of crisis. Initially planning to flee Kuwait with his family, he is compelled to rise above his self-centeredness and help his fellow citizens after witnessing how helpless ordinary people are in the face of the tyranny unleashed upon them by Saddam Hussein.
His persistence, doggedness and resources help him set up a temporary camp and give shelter to a motley group of Indians, carrying along their distinctive problems and idiosyncrasies. Nimrat Kaur as Akshay's trophy wife complements his strength of character with her own when the occasion demands. She is a welcome change from the usual bimbettes routinely seen in Akshay's movies.

The narrative has a dark, sinister feel to it; the havoc created by war and a rogue nation creates palpable terror and an innate sympathy for the victims regardless of their nationality. The waiflike Kuwaiti lady hidden in the camp by her Indian maid is symbolic of this. Notable performances are by Kumud Misra as the dedicated Indian bureaucrat who facilitates the evacuation process by cutting through red tapes and dithering politicians. The talented Inaamulhaq portraying the shrewd, crafty Iraqi major evokes more guffaws than fear, majorly due to his quaint accent. A minor flaw in an otherwise riveting tale of a man's perseverance against all odds.

The movie does stray towards repetitive sequences at times and is low on entertainment quotient but then stark reality is seldom entertaining. However, after all the hard work that goes towards building it up, the climax in itself is a tad underwhelming. The accelerated homecoming process makes one feel relieved that the long drawn ordeal is over for the fellow Indians, but a bit shortchanged that the actual 'airlift' manoeuvres are swept in the air. 

Minor irritants apart, the movie is an ideal republic day flavour meant to be savoured by those looking for soaring stories of patriotism in times when the word 'Indian' and all that it encompasses is being redefined.