Akshay Kumar is well known for his patriotic and nationalistic films. Holiday, Baby, and Airlift all feature loyal, dedicated characters who aren’t afraid to do what is right. Sacrifice Their nation. His films have won many awards and accolades and are praised by critics and their audiences. Film critics have given mixed reviews to Akshay Kumar’s new film Bell Bottom.
Although the film did moderately well at the box office, the film was banned in three Gulf countries, namely Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, due to its refusal to conform to historical facts. This has sparked controversy about whether or not the film is an accurate account of the Khalistan Movement. Let’s examine the facts and answer the question: Is Bell Bottom a true story or fiction?
Where is The Bell Bottom Story Originally Sourced?
B1980s hijackings inspire Bell Bottoms plot in India. These events were actually perpetrated by Khalistani separatists who wanted to create a homeland of Sikhs through the creation of a sovereign state called Khalistan. This included the hijackings of Indian Airlines Flight 423 and Indian Airlines Flight 405, as well as 421 hijackings. The movie is primarily focused on the August 1984 hijacking. However, some other events have also been used as inspiration, such as the August 4, 1982 hijacking, where agents disguised themselves as diplomatic aides in order to stop the hijacking. It was the longest hijacking in Indian plane hijacking history.
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Overall, every Indian filmmaker understands that there must be some drama in the story to make the film a success. Also known as the Big Hindi Movie Formula. Bell Bottom is an excellent example of a movie that is based on true events. It focuses more on the character’s life than what happened back then, just like any other Bollywood movie. The rescue scene is shown only in the final thirty minutes.
What Motivated The Three Gulf Countries to Ban It?
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar have banned Bell Bottom because, according to history, the real heroes in the 1984 hijackings weren’t those who are depicted in the movie. The rescue mission was actually carried out by the United Arab Emirates Defence Ministry Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and other UAE authorities.
To prevent their citizens from believing that Indians saved flight passengers, the gulf nations banned the film, stating that the filmmakers had tempered it with historical facts.
Is Bell Bottom historically accurate?
The answer to this question isn’t a simple yes or no. This is because there are many events that are not shown in the movie. For instance, Indira Gandhi was actually the Prime Minister of India when the hijacking took place. Some facts are false, however. Let’s take, for instance, the 2004 Kabaddi World Cup. However, in the movie, which took place in 1984, it is clear that the Kabaddi team was present on the flight. Radhika, a Vani Kapoor character, is seen working for MTNL. This was established in 1986.
It also examines the trivial details of Akshay’s backstory, such as ‘how’ he fell for his wife and ‘how’ his mother died (so that he can feel a personal connection with his job). Let’s not forget about the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) recruitment process. It is amazing to me how India’s foreign intelligence agency managed to hire a “mere” clerk as their agent by abducting him.
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To return to the question: Yes, it is based on true events. No, one cannot save the 210 hostages simply by changing the weather report and expecting to see a sandstorm.
Is Bell Bottom worth watching?
Yes. This is a great movie to watch once in a while, especially if your taste is for spy thriller movies. Although the movie is slow at times, Lara Dutta’s performance as Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister, is amazing. You won’t be disappointed if you don’t expect too much.