Embark on a Tricolour ride, history airlifts your pride

Airlift
Hindi (U/A) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kumud Mishra, Nimrat Kaur, Prakash Belawadi and Purab Kohli
Director: Raja Krishna Menon

If you Google “Arkantos”, you will get no Greek link to his valour; he is just known and restricted to strategy game lovers. The lead of Age of Mythology has one common aspect to share with Ranjit Katyal — they never existed.

The evacuation of a lakh and 70,000 Indians from Kuwait when Iraq had invaded in 1990 was not single-handedly taken care of by this selfish businessman.

Note: This character of Ranjit Katyal, played by Akshay Kumar, is formed from the heroics of at least two real life bravehearts who lost almost everything to help fellow countrymen leave Kuwait.

Rich, happy and money-minded with a look-down-upon attitude towards his employees, Katyal leads a lavish lifestyle with his wife Amrita (Nimrat Kaur) and daughter. But a personal loss in form of a murder awakens the real Indian in him. He gathers his employees and along come their acquaintances. Later, this snowballs into an operation where his nationality comes into question.

Akshay leaves no stone unturned to bring out the best in him. His expressions to dialogue delivery, anger to fun — this Akshay is someone no one has ever seen before.
Nimrat is misused but she knew when and what she had to deliver. She does it with attitude and style.

But the characters to watch it for are cantankerous mushroom George (Prakash Belawadi), and focused and kindhearted Sanjeev Kohli (Kumud Mishra). Hate George and he wins it.

From a superb casting by Vicky Sidana to excellent “masculine” cinematography by Priya Seth and a great director to lead the team, the film has everything to please you. If it lags somewhere, it is somewhat in a loose screenplay in the first half; unnecessary songs, especially choice of Tulsi Kumar’s falsetto in an intense moment and unused Purab Kohli.

Menon’s exquisite and staunch approach towards this movie is bound to give you goosebumps when KK’s voice smears pure emotions on your heart.

P.S — Watch this movie for Mishra: “Kohli” is a sheer Rahul Dravid “backfoot” cover drive on an Oz pitch.