Akki is the bottom line

Nonika Singh

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Chess mein doubles nahi kheli jaati sir and Bollywood entertainers too in India are largely a singles game. If the long run on the OTT platforms has made you forget that who holds the key to our movies, welcome back to cinemas. As Bell Bottom puts an end to the long drought of theatrical releases and becomes the first big-ticket film to release in cinemas in nearly two years, it once again reminds you that nothing drives Indian cinema like superstars.

So, here he is our Akki bhai, Akshay Kumar, doing what comes naturally to him; playing a good son, loving husband and above all a patriot in the part of a RAW officer with codename Bell Bottom.

Set in 1980s when plane hijack was a common occurrence, so was ceding to the demands of terrorists/hijackers. Except once in a while as in this hijack of 1984, we are reminded history did turn a new tide. Covert operation to free passengers… whoever heard of it in those times? Bell Bottom, however, we are told is inspired by true events and the concluding rushes with real photographs further reinforces it.

The film does tread on sticky ground as it talks of separatists from Punjab. But before anyone from the community can take offence, let it be said the hero’s mother Ravi played by feisty Dolly Ahluwalia Tewari too belongs to the same community. As befitting an entertainer the writers Aseem Arrora and Parveez Sheikh do not wade into stormy waters. No hardcore politics here only flashes of politicking. Pakistan comes in handy to explain the motives of home-grown militants. There is overt mention of Pakistan, ISI and there is a reference to its thousand cut policy too.

Baffling, however, is how Akshay Kumar as Anshul Malhotra briefs his superior Santook (Adil Hussain), who clearly ought to know better. But then this is Hindi cinema where attention to detail and logical reasoning aren’t much of an issue or concern.

Where the film must get full marks is that given the current situation and dispensation, it portrays the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi as she was; stoic and dignified. Glamour woman Lara Dutta with ample help from prosthetics plays her part of the iron-willed lady well and adds both grace and gravitas to the character.

Women, in what is essentially a spy thriller, do not get a short shrift. Apart from Dutta, there is Dolly Ahluwalia whose energy is infectious and her dialogues bubbly and more than hat ke from the regular maa prototype. But maa bhakti in Bollywood has to reign supreme and so it does even prompting the wifey Radhika (Vaani Kapoor) to quiz her husband, “whom do you love more; me or the mother?” Vaani Kapoor’s character too has an interesting twist in the end which at least we don’t see coming.

Other twists, of course, can be gauged from a mile. The moment Santook utters the words, Bell Bottom is personally invested in the case,’ you prepare for the tragedy in the waiting. For a while the family goodbyes at the airport leave you a bit curious about the impending emotional rollercoaster.

Which one of them, the mother or the wife’s airplane will be hijacked, a few moments are pregnant with suspense. The ensuing drama that unfolds is rather stereotypical as we are led the familiar path.

But the real ride that sweeps you away is not of emotions but of action. Post-interval the momentum truly picks up. The five minutes of high on adrenaline action in the swirling sandstorms of Dubai is worth your ticket and time. So is Akshay, looking debonair as always and earnest to the T. Adil Hussain despite the limitation of an underwritten part replete with a ‘sad’ joke on RAW holds his ground as only a fine actor like him can. Zain Khan Durrani as Daljeet Singh aka Doddy has the necessary swag and menace.

Despite familiar elements director Tewari too manages to hold the narrative and our attention in this slick entertainer. Of course, to totally enjoy the fare you have to be ‘personally invested’ in the superstar which for Akshay fans shouldn’t be a problem. Cheers to that or better still bottoms-up.