The film ‘Airlift’ flips through the pages of history to relive those chaotic times, through the eyes of multiple Indians, who survived that suffering and became a part of one of the world’s largest civilian evacuations till date! For this effort, Menon and also the lead actors should be given full marks for keeping it real! While the first half marches along confidently, the second half stands on shaky ground. The evacuation is hastily wrapped up and the film loses a bit of its momentum. The first few scenes that show the destruction and brutality of the Iraqi soldiers are influential and realistic. There was no unnecessary melodrama to underline that a war is the greatest leveller and the action moves at a brisk pace! On the whole, ‘Airlift’ is surely one of the best films to come out this year and will pick up with a strong word of mouth. A must watch movie! 

Airlift delves into the pain of a refugee community, showcasing human emotions that defy class barriers and the actors make it all very identifiable. It is the story of a business-minded tycoon who turned Samaritan not because he is a great human being but more because the tragedy demands that. And that, makes it a more of an intriguing watch. Though an action-packed story, Airlift’s strength lies in the turbulent emotions of people at the mercy of each other’s generosity and self-preservation. Though an action-packed story, Airlift’s strength lies in the turbulent emotions of people at the mercy of each other’s generosity and self-preservation.

Airlift is a rare megastar vehicle that derives obvious benefits from the lead actor's magnetism without subjugating itself to the need to make the most of his presence in the cast. The director's decision to eschew grandstanding benefits the film as a whole, making it completely believable and convincing as a human drama. Not that there aren't points in the film when it flirts with just a hint of excess, but these slip-ups are too few and far between to pull Airlift down irretrievably. One of the more interesting elements in the film is the layered manner win which Menon builds up the relationship between Katyal and his wife. They aren't an ideal, lovey-dovey, Bollywood-style couple. They are frequently at each other's throat, if only playfully. But when push comes to shove, they stand up for each other. Airlift is a film that every Indian, and every Bollywood buff despairing for genuinely high quality storytelling, must watch.

The film is based on the real-life conflict and bloodshed that took place twenty five years back in Kuwait, and the way it is done—with a sense of urgency and immediacy, bringing alive a city over-run and under siege—sends out a crucial message to star-driven-yet-drivel-producing Bollywood. That given the backing of an A-list star, anything is possible: well done, Akshay Kumar, for donning the producer-with-conviction hat to create a crackling film. This is a deftly done film, which does slide a little in the second half, but never abandons its mission: to tell a tale. Overall, Akshay Kumar's ‘Airlift’ is a good film, solidly plotted, well executed and well-acted. Just lose the songs, and the occasional underlined background music the next time, okay? 

Airlift features Akshay at his best - based on real-life characters, there's little khiladi-wala swag in Akshay's performance and more mature control. Airlift's scale is impressive and editing (Hemanti Sarkar) deft. But the movie could've increased this intensity, the horror and taut, time-ticking dread that typify unforgettable siege/rescue films like Hotel Rwanda (2004), where you vividly felt humanity running out each second. Airlift depicts desperation but with more sound and light than darkness, more broad strokes than fine detail. Yet, Airlift works because it conveys a time when armies will attack civilians - you're struck by how IS was born from the Iraqi army's core - and raises Bollywood's generic bar. Plus, it movingly celebrates the most beautiful flag in the world.