Airlift teaser: Akshay Kumar is reminiscent of Liam Neeson in Schindler's List, but his mission's in Kuwait

The much-awaited teaser for Akshay Kumar-starrer Airlift is out. In fact with a runtime of two minutes, you could actually call it a trailer rather than a mere teaser. This film does hold better promise because it is based on real events and has been moulded like a gritty action drama. Similar ‘serious’ films like Special 26 and Baby have done better for Kumar over the last few years than his regular mindless comedies. The teaser proudly proclaims to be the latest offering from the “makers of D-Day and Baby”. Although the director Raja Menon is relatively new, the production team seems to be the same one that brought us sleek, patriotic but realistic action thrillers based on real events. So, what exactly does Airlift promise? [caption id=“attachment_2511702” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Screengrab from Youtube[/caption] Airlift recreates certain events during the Gulf War of 1990, when a huge number of Indian expats had to be evacuated from Kuwait as Saddam Hussein’s army invaded the nation. Through his own voiceover, Akshay Kumar explains that he plays Ranjit Katyal, an entrepreneur of Indian origin in Kuwait who used to be a big shot in the pre-war period. But his world comes crushing down, along with thousands of other Indians, as the war starts. In short, he plays an Indian Oskar Schindler (memorably portrayed by Liam Neeson in Schindler’s List) who saves many lives using his resources and clout. The most heartening thing about the film seems to be its production values. Airlift has been shot somewhere in West Asia and the war-ravaged Kuwait has been recreated well with ominous music and newsreel-like footage. There is a good dose of patriotism too as the character exclaims “aaj unhe bacha sakta hain to woh desh, jinhe unhone khud yaad karna band kad diya tha!” (If anyone can save them today, it is that nation that they had themselves forgotten). We can only hope that Airlift sticks to its promise and does not deviate too much. The only complaint about the teaser is the negligible footage given to Nimrat Kaur, who is billed as Kumar’s co-star. Surely an actress of her calibre deserves a better deal compared to the mannequins who generally appear in other Kumar films. Airlift releases on 22 January. Watch the teaser here: