This is a deftly done film, which does slide a little in the second half, but never abandons its mission: to tell a tale. Akshay Kumar leads from the front, but shares space when it is needed: Nimrat Kaur, in her second Hindi film after ‘The Lunchbox’, keeps pace with her co-star; Inaamulhaq( so enjoyable in ‘Filmistaan’), as Saddam’s man-in-Kuwait, is suitably menacing, Belawadi as the annoying refugee really does make you want to slap him, Kohli is kohl-eyed and restrained and makes us feel for him, Mishra as the Dilli babu, disinterested at first, then taking charge, fits right in. Also read: Akshay Kumar’s Airlift and adult comedy Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 clash at box-office
Bollywood doesn’t do well with basing its films on real-life events because it mostly has no idea how to straddle the line between fact and fiction, which is so crucial to the genre. It overdoes things, and turns them into melodrama and schmaltz. ‘Airlift’ plays it right, and gives us drama, even if things slow down and turn a trifle repetitious post interval.
Also read: Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 box earns Rs 8.15 cr. on opening day
But overall, ‘Airlift’ is a good film, solidly plotted, well executed and well-acted.