IB 71 movie review: This spy-thriller is a bit raw

The year was 1971. India and Pakistan would go to war over Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) by the end of the year. But, before that, India had to thwart a two-way attack by both China and Pakistan from the Northeast. Pakistan had plans to station its battle planes in the East. The only way to stop them was to block the Indian airspace. For that, the countries needed to be in a state of war. The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) came up with a plan. Two Kashmiri separatists, Hashim Qureshi and his cousin Ashraf, who had been harbouring dreams of hijacking a plane, got some help from the intelligence agency. A plane was hijacked with wooden guns and grenades. It landed in Lahore. It had 30 intelligence officers masquerading as passengers. They somehow escaped from the enemy country. The plane was burned. India called destroying its property in a foreign land an act of war by Pakistan. The airspace was blocked.

Starring: Vidyut Jammwal, Anupam Kher, Vishal Jethwa

Directed by: Sankalp Reddy

After the mission, the agents might have met over drinks to celebrate their victory. With cigars between their lips, they would have nodded in unison when somebody would have stated that their feat should be the subject of a film.

The film they get is IB 71. The agent they get is Vidyut Jammwal who plays Dev Jammwal, a flowy-haired (did they allow long manes in intelligence services back in the day?), chiselled-chin hunk with an affinity for V-neck cardigans. Now, IB 71 steers clear of something that has been plaguing spy films for some time: chest-thumping nationalism. Thankfully, there are no parallels between Pakistan and ‘desh ke gaddaar’. We shouldn’t praise a film for not being propaganda, but that’s what we have come to.

There is a different way IB 71 showcases its nationalism, by portraying its enemy as caricature-ish. A Pakistani general, for some reason, only hangs out at hangars. He looks like he will spurt words like ‘keher’ and ‘khushamadeed’ if he gets more screen time. ISI seems to be taken for a ride by Indian intelligence at every moment. The contest becomes one-sided. Vishal Jethwa, as the rookie hijacker Qasim, seems like he is in battle with a put-on Kashmiri accent (Plane, plan and plain all sound ‘pilain’).

The Sankalp Reddy directorial still has its moments. IB 71 shines in its action sequences, particularly the ones on a wooden plank in Kashmir and in a hotel lobby in Pakistan with the lights out. Refreshingly, there is more brain than brawl in a film headlined by Vidyut. But, it lacks wit. For those who know about the real incident, it becomes predictable. The plot stretches and takes uninteresting turns. IB 71 is based on a great tale that deserved better treatment.