As this year has been started well with Wazir, the good work of Bollywood is on the road with increasing the speed and performance. Yes, I'm talking about Akshay Kumar starer Airlift, directed by Raja Krishna Menon, and which is based on true events! Film starts in Kuwait. Rajiv Katyal (Akki) has been reached on the top level in business with his ability. He refers himself as a Kuwait citizen. But when the government leaves their citizens when Iraq attacks on Kuwait under the order of Saddam Hussain, the people becomes needless. Rajiv now feels that he is an Indian, and so along with other 1,70,000 people who are actually Indians but lives in Kuwait, he starts the mission to run from Kuwait as soon as possible. His tries, his communication to India for the help, and the officer's help from India - These things you can find out in this movie. Some factors, like emotions of love for the family, for the nation, for the coworkers and their relatives, for the people who are only belongs to the same nation, have been described very well. Many moments where we can feel patriotism. Raja has directed a superb film. Akshay has given a stunning performance as usual. I was comparing Baby film with this, but both are different. But if you ask for just one movie, than I'll go with this one. Nimrat Kaur is my favorite since The Lunchbox and Dairy Milk commercials. She has delivered a fine supportive job. She shines as a wife of a rich businessman and a caring mother. Kumud Mishra fits absolutely in the character of a government officer. Poorab Kohli has a small role. Supportive cast are fine, too. De Di and Soch Na Sake are very small songs. Perfectly situated. Tu Bhula Jise is the song to remember. Background score suits to the film. Dialogues are good. Nimrat's 3/4 minuets long conversation with a unsatisfied man of the camp who always complains, is a must! Cinematography is good. Some scenes give are shaky, those could have been shoot better. Editing is fine. Indian flag has been waved by an airport staff of Jordan and Akki is watching that, while Tu Bhula Jise song is playing - the scene has been brought so many whistles and shouts. And than one more, in which Air India plane is taking off, while Akki is watching that and in background Vande Mataram is playing - a truly emotional scene! It will surely gives you goosebumps! Overall, a must watch movie for every Indians, to know the largest human evacuation. Salute to all the real heroes! Jai Hind!

Based on a courageous true-story, 'Airlift sadly isn't half as powerful as its story actually is. Director Raja Krishna Menon delivers a sincere tale, but the Writing lacks the sharpness & the urgency a film like this strongly needs. It only appeals in parts, that's it!

'Airlift' Synopsis: Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar),a Kuwait-based businessman, carries out a biggest civil operation of evacuation of Indians based in Kuwait during the Iraq-Kuwait war carried out during the reign of Iraqi emperor Saddam Hussein.

'Airlift' is about a man's struggle to protect his people in the middle of a war-zone. But, for some odd reason, there is barely any tension in the film. Raja Krishna Menon, Suresh Nair, Rahul Nangia & Ritesh Shah's Screenplay is a mixed bag. It begins superbly, but 30-minutes into the film, the pace drops. I wasn't tensed or aghast by the way the war erupts nor was I particularly rooting for the Protagonist in his mission. And its the Writing to blame. Also, The first-hour moves on a slow-pace & the story doesn't move forward. The second-hour picks up momentum & fares better in comparison. But overall, 'Airlift' never soars! The Writing needed to be stronger & more urgent.

Raja Krishna Menon's Direction is decent. Cinematography is gritty & nicely mounted. Editing is mostly crisp, although the first-hour is slow-paced! Art & Costume Design are average. Action-Sequences are raw & rustic. Background Score is top-class.

Performance-Wise: Akshay Kumar delivers a committed performance, enacting the heroic protagonist with honesty. Its his performance that acts as a major plus point to this otherwise ordinary film. Nimrat Kaur is okay. Purab Kohli is very good. Kumud Mishra is terrific, as always. Inaamulhaq & Prakash Belawadi ham it up in supporting roles.

On the whole, 'Airlift' works in parts. A great opportunity, lost!

This Bollywood film follows the story of Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar),a Kuwait-based businessman, whom must plan out the biggest evacuation of citizens by a civil airliner in history, when he is force to help, evacuated 170, 000 Indian out of wartime, Kuwait, during the height of the 1990/1991 Persian Gulf War. Without spoiling the movie, too much; while, this rescue operation film is not as good, as 1993's 'Schindler's List' or 2004's 'Hotel Rwanda', or even 2012's 'Argo', it was still a good movie, worth seeing even if it has some highly embroidered and fictionalized accounts of true events. After all, there is way too many films that, often take too much artistic liberties with actual events, making it somewhat offensive and jarring to watch. However, this particular film does not. Yes, it takes a few artistic liberties in the depiction of events, but most of them, actually works to make the depiction, much better. Still, there is somethings, worth noting that would need, so work. First off, the idea that, all of this planning was done, under one man's control. As much as I love, Akshay Kumar's performance as the fictional character of Ranjit Katyal and his character arch, from ruthless, selfish, greedy businessman to extraordinary Good Samarian whom initiative, tenacity and dedication help save the lives of many of his fellow country-men. I think, I would rather have the real-life depiction of entrepreneurs, Mathunny Mathews (also known as Toyota Sunny) & Harbajan Singh Vedi. After all, it's seem too unrealistic for one man to plan out, all this. Another thing, I was wondering, is why this film was call 'Airlift', when the majority of the characters, has nothing to do, with Air India's & Ministry of Civil Aviation, involvement in the evacuating. If anything, this movie should be call something else, as only the last 20 minutes is, about the airlift. Plus, in my opinion, the title gives away, too much of the end. I know, history movies are predictable, but gees, the suspense for this film is kinda ruin, when the title spells it out for you. Anyways, the airlift events, didn't just happen, during one or two days, like the film wants you to think. It was carried out from August 13, 1990 to October 20, 1990. That's a lot period of time, staying in Jordan. Another thing, I was wondering, when watching this film, was, how the whole evacuation plan can happens without the India's government active support. The film makes it, seem like the Ministry of External Affairs was little to no help; when in truth, it's the government that coordinating with the different groups and worked with the governments of Jordan and Iraq in having safe passage for the Indians. Plus, it's the government that work with Saddam Hussein, in making sure, they were protected, until the evaluation were over. For the most part, Indians in Kuwait, were allowed to buy food and continue their lives, as if the war didn't really started. I get that, a lot of things like this was omitted, because the filmmakers wanted added to heighten the dangers, but the idea of them, running out of food is a bit silly. Another thing, the idea that the Embassy in Kuwait & Iraq were no help, because they were evacuated of all staff and officers is not correct. Only non-essential staff and of course families would have been evacuated in real-life. The ambassador and his core team would have stayed on, as they did, based on the ambassador's account of the events. It's funny to see Ambassador, KP Fabian who was Joint Secretary of the Gulf at the time of the Kuwait war, being throws in very different light by this film, by being completely omitted, when in truth, he did a lot to help the Indians come home. Despite that, the war movie directed by Raja Krishna Menon is pretty decent. Still, some of cinematography by Priya Seth, does need some work. During some scenes, it was really hard to figure out, what certain characters were looking at, or what, the viewer was honestly seeing. It was a bit jarring to see some modern UAE (United Arab Emirates) backgrounds, that doesn't look like, it's Middle Eastern building style nor from that 1990 time period. Another thing, a bit off, was the violence. It was surprising, very tame for a war movie. I get that, they didn't have, too much of a budget to pull off, too many effects, since it was limited, but they really made up for the lack of graphic visuals, with well-done acting and somewhat decent Arabic & Hindi dialogue, even if it's a bit heavy-handed on exposition. I like, nearly every character, they show here, but still, they did, make the fictional supporting characters of George Kutty (Prakash Belawadi) a little bit too unlikeable for my taste and Major Khalaf Bin Zayd (Inaamulhaq),too campy to be taken serious as a villain. I just wish, they hired more Arab actors, as extras, as it's somewhat noticeable, that Indian actors, were playing the soldiers & citizens as well. Despite that, the music choice wasn't too off. I kinda like the Bollywood mixed with Arabic music type of a flair by artists Amaal Mallik & Ankit Tiwari. Music like '' Dil Cheez Tujhe Dedi", "Soch Na Sake", "Tu Bhoola Jise" & "Mera Nachan Nu" were rightly place, in the film, and didn't distracting me from the overall theme of the movie. Overall: While, the movie does have some flaws. The good things about it, surly out weight the bad. Airlift indeed lift the bar, a little higher for Bollywood. As a Non-Indian American, I can't wait to see, what type of film, they would think up, next. Airlift is worth seeing.