Bellbottom Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆
A Spy thriller with a gripping storyline, which is inspired by real-life events, Bell Bottom, tells a powerful story of a RAW agent, who risks everything for his country.
Akshay Kumar is back as a RAW agent with a retro twist. Apart from nailing the looks and nuances of the 80s’ – the actor has remarkable control over his character, never once he breaks out into a typical macho hero, pushing the baddies to a pulp, he offers a character who is smart, calculative, and determined.
Ranjit M Tiwari’s directorial features Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, and Lara Dutta in the leading roles. For the most part, the characters are well defined, well written and the actor’s lacing it with superb performances.
Akshay Kumar as Anshul or code name BellBottom is called to pull off an impossible mission in a foreign land when an Indian airliner is hijacked. Driven by the personal loss of his mother, who dies in one such hijacking, he doesn’t waste time to drop his normal life and kicks into action.
Vaani Kapoor, though her role is small and impactful, adds much-needed freshness and charm to the mundane narrative. She is a housewife, or something else, this is revealed in the story much later, for that you need to watch the movie.
Huma Qureshi is sublime as a special agent, but her character is twisted and full of surprises. Lara Dutta as Indira Gandhi, nails her role like it was meant for me, she is nuanced and skilled in her presidential avatar!
Apart from the stellar cast and Pooja Films’ massive budget, the film is well crafted, edited, and shot. Creating the 1980’s era is something most filmmakers and directors have failed to do in past, but with BellBottom, you are immediately transported in time.
Background score and songs are worthy of praise. The only drawback is special effects, they could have been better, as we have been spoilt by Hollywood VFX extravaganzas!
The makers have taken a huge risk releasing the film in cinema halls, but ‘Bell Bottom’s scale is so massive that it deserves a big screen and applause!