I wanted to write something light today. So I chose this. Saw the movie this evening and really liked it. Anything that is based on a true story is always far more appealing! So much less drama and bull shit. I really don't remember this incident from the year 1990 so I have no idea how much reality they have stuck to but atleast seems like not much was distorted. These kind of stories leave less scope for distortion. I also enjoy them because they are short and crisp. They don't go on and on. They have a story to tell and they just stick to that.
It is super scary to be living in another country as a second rate citizen and then have to go through this and not know what next! Will we live, will we die or what will become of us! You tend to shudder when you are at the mercy of lunatics been given guns to go and play around with and get trigger happy as and when they feel like. Some scenes depicting the apathy, sadism and insanity on the part of the army personnel is as appalling as it is scary! There is one scene that shows army guys who are young kids and they go berserk looting a house where they come across a huge soft toy of a bear and they scream and shoot saying 'Lets kill this Kuwaiti bear.' Shows the mindset and mentality. Its a goddamn soft toy! It was really like Kuwait = Kill and that is all inclusive. There is another scene where an Iraqi soldier asks that a particular Kuwaiti woman gets handed over so his boys can have some fun! These and more really do send shivers down your spine. And to think these are human beings! Thank God the movie has stuck to less brutality though much more must've happened in reality.
It is sad indeed that the Indian foreign affairs ministry sat on its back side and dint spring into action immediately the way it should have. As rightly pointed out in the film if it was Big Daddy they would have made sure their people were evacuated asap! But God bless the few who were instrumental and whose conscience was probably asleep but far from dead. They were selfless enough to take charge and persist even when the chances were bleak. For once I felt like standing up and saluting Air India as it operated 488 flights, as shown in the film (if these are true statistics), to get home the stranded Indians! They flew over a war zone and did what they could and how! Hats off! That is true patriotism! The last ten minutes of the film where they show the Indians coming back just makes you feel so relieved. Just the fact that a fellow Indian who is a practical stranger to you but still went through adversity and ordeal and came out unscathed makes you feel ecstatic! Its the whole Indian sentiment and it always touches some chord of your heart bigtime. I only cried in those last few minutes( yes I cry in movies, songs and ads!!) Its like someone rattled and shook up all of my Indian fibre!
Coming to the cast, there are supporting characters who do full justice to their roles. Kumud Mishra as Mr Kohli from the external affairs ministry was one of my favourites. The transition from an indifferent 'babu' to a true blue Indian who felt for his 'tribe' irrespective of where in the globe they were, was so heart warming! This man is an actor par excellence. Have seen his performance in theatre on stage and cant admire him more.
Nimrit Kaur, a strong woman who stands by her husband as his pillar of support and strength, taking charge when she really has to, formidable!
Akshay Kumar I really fell in love with! I am not a fan of his or anyone from the film industry but honestly speaking it's his character that I fell in love with. His entire persona. Even his transition from a shrewd ruthless businessman to a sensitive responsible and reliable Indian national was quite admirable and nothing really filmi about it. The man's character that is shown evolving in the movie was interesting. Very human and vulnerable at times and brave and solid who acts as per the need of the hour at other times. What I loved about his character was the fact that he was reliable, brave and selfless( an eventual revelation). To me he felt liked the Raymond man, perfect in every way! A woman's man completely. A loving and caring husband, a doting father, loyal, strong, brave and reliable. What more do u need! Ok I've got a bit carried away but just like cinematic liberties exist, I am taking some writer liberties.
The soundtrack is nice! Songs are not out of place or thrust upon you. They are placed appropriately and manage to evoke the right emotion in you. I loved one song . Leaving you with it too. That is constantly humming in my head. I loved it before I watched the movie and I love it much more after watching it! And to top it all the male version is by the current God of Indian singing, Arijit Singh! How can this man such a sexy and deep throated voice. Soulful indeed and the female version is as so annoying compared to the male.Just because you are a relative of Gulshan Kumar you find yourself a place in the world of singing however nasal your voice is! Grrrrr! But I will only focus on the male part! This one is going to be my anthem for the next few days and on loop till I find a new and better one to replace it!
It is super scary to be living in another country as a second rate citizen and then have to go through this and not know what next! Will we live, will we die or what will become of us! You tend to shudder when you are at the mercy of lunatics been given guns to go and play around with and get trigger happy as and when they feel like. Some scenes depicting the apathy, sadism and insanity on the part of the army personnel is as appalling as it is scary! There is one scene that shows army guys who are young kids and they go berserk looting a house where they come across a huge soft toy of a bear and they scream and shoot saying 'Lets kill this Kuwaiti bear.' Shows the mindset and mentality. Its a goddamn soft toy! It was really like Kuwait = Kill and that is all inclusive. There is another scene where an Iraqi soldier asks that a particular Kuwaiti woman gets handed over so his boys can have some fun! These and more really do send shivers down your spine. And to think these are human beings! Thank God the movie has stuck to less brutality though much more must've happened in reality.
It is sad indeed that the Indian foreign affairs ministry sat on its back side and dint spring into action immediately the way it should have. As rightly pointed out in the film if it was Big Daddy they would have made sure their people were evacuated asap! But God bless the few who were instrumental and whose conscience was probably asleep but far from dead. They were selfless enough to take charge and persist even when the chances were bleak. For once I felt like standing up and saluting Air India as it operated 488 flights, as shown in the film (if these are true statistics), to get home the stranded Indians! They flew over a war zone and did what they could and how! Hats off! That is true patriotism! The last ten minutes of the film where they show the Indians coming back just makes you feel so relieved. Just the fact that a fellow Indian who is a practical stranger to you but still went through adversity and ordeal and came out unscathed makes you feel ecstatic! Its the whole Indian sentiment and it always touches some chord of your heart bigtime. I only cried in those last few minutes( yes I cry in movies, songs and ads!!) Its like someone rattled and shook up all of my Indian fibre!
Coming to the cast, there are supporting characters who do full justice to their roles. Kumud Mishra as Mr Kohli from the external affairs ministry was one of my favourites. The transition from an indifferent 'babu' to a true blue Indian who felt for his 'tribe' irrespective of where in the globe they were, was so heart warming! This man is an actor par excellence. Have seen his performance in theatre on stage and cant admire him more.
Nimrit Kaur, a strong woman who stands by her husband as his pillar of support and strength, taking charge when she really has to, formidable!
Akshay Kumar I really fell in love with! I am not a fan of his or anyone from the film industry but honestly speaking it's his character that I fell in love with. His entire persona. Even his transition from a shrewd ruthless businessman to a sensitive responsible and reliable Indian national was quite admirable and nothing really filmi about it. The man's character that is shown evolving in the movie was interesting. Very human and vulnerable at times and brave and solid who acts as per the need of the hour at other times. What I loved about his character was the fact that he was reliable, brave and selfless( an eventual revelation). To me he felt liked the Raymond man, perfect in every way! A woman's man completely. A loving and caring husband, a doting father, loyal, strong, brave and reliable. What more do u need! Ok I've got a bit carried away but just like cinematic liberties exist, I am taking some writer liberties.
3 comments:
Nice. Will watch it soon since you have recommended.
keep writing......
Loved this Shilps !!! You can start a film blog on a regular basis . One of my friend's father was stuck in Kuwait during that time and I still recall the anxiety and helplessness . The director has been sucessful in depicting that through the film. I agree with you about Kumud Mishra . And of course Akshay Kumar . I am also a convert and have started noticing him after Special 26 , Baby and now in AirLift .
I cried shamelessly in the scene when our Tri Color enfolded at Jordan , the soundtrack that went it with did it in for me !!!
Keep writing . Looking forward to a Bollywood Blog !!!
U knoow what .. I had started a bollywood blog where there were two to three posts and now the irony is iv forgotten the name , password everything.. so frustrating.... It wudve been so easy to restart there...... Thanks fr ur comment and encouragement. I also cried when the tricolor was enfolded and ur right, the track with it did it fr me too....
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