Words like inspiring and resilient are synonymous with the roles Akshay Kumar is used to playing. His 150th film in Bollywood is no different. Sarfira is the tale of mixed emotions. Akshay portrays the ambitions of a small-town boy, dreaming of starting his own aviation company. Based on the memoir Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey by G.R. Gopinath, Sarfira is a consistent, beautiful, and inspiring adaption by director Sudha Kongara.
I loved the fact that Sarfira did not have a mainstream Bollywood actor just for action and romantic scenes. Akshay, playing the character of Vir Mhatre, was equally vulnerable as he was inspiring throughout the movie. He was brought down, laughed off, and even bullied for his overly ambitious dream. We get to see the raw and emotional side of the character, which brings out Akshay’s best performance. Even though it’s a remake of the Tamil original Soorarai Pottru(2020), Sarfira still manages to keep you hooked.
The story revolves around Vir Mhatre, a former pilot from a small town in Maharashtra, who wants to start a budget airline accessible to everyone. He is shown a visionary, who does not believe in letting the circumstances hold him back. However, it is more than a classic rags-to-riches story. Despite various challenges and early setbacks, Vir is determined to start India’s first low-cost airline company.
Vir leaves his home after a dispute with his father(played by Ravi Khanvilkar) to join the Indian Air Force. However, it turns out to be a short stint, as he leaves the Air Force with two of his colleagues to be a full-time entrepreneur. He pitches his idea to the aviation tycoon Paresh Goswami(Played by Paresh Rawal) who not only ridicules him but becomes a major roadblock in his career. The majority of the film is based on how Vir overcomes the hurdles of Goswami and fulfills the passion, i.e. becomes a Sarfira, to put his aircraft in the air.
Sarfira also had some light-hearted romance, with Rani Mhatre(played by Radhika Madan) shown as a pillar of support. There are several endearing moments between the two. Rani is shown as a fierce and independent Marathi girl who is not afraid to call out the wrongs and has her dream of starting a bakery. Paresh Rawal fails to give justice to Goswami, who is shown as a casteist and elitist businessman. No other character comes close to the acting levels of Vir.
Sarfira is over two hours and thirty minutes long, which feels a little stretched after the story has already been established. The second half does not have anything new to offer. Even though the entire film is worth watching, a better editing work could’ve saved time. The soundtracks are decent. The background music sets the tone of every scene, whether inspiring or emotional. The film is mainly focused on giving Akshay maximum screen time. Even at 56, the veteran actor knows his genre well. Sarfira keeps you invested from the first scene and ends with a smile on everyone’s face.