Akshay Kumar plays a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) undercover spy known as ‘Bell Bottom’ in the spy thriller Bell Bottom. Kumar is called to rescue the day after a plane is kidnapped and arrives in Amritsar, the sixth hijacking occurrence in five years. The plot revolves around his plans for a daring secret mission to rescue 210 captives and eliminate four hijackers. The fact that his procedure is linked to a personal tragedy heightens its impact.
The Ranjit Tiwari-directed film, like numerous previous Kumar films inspired on actual events, is based on two occurrences in the late 1970s and early 1980s during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister of India. It’s admirable that the film was shot in several locales in India and Scotland during the pandemic.
Kumar’s stunning entrance as Bell Bottom indeed draws some cheers and applause, and one can’t deny that he looks handsome at 53. He’s slim, athletic, and agile, with a crisp Army-man style. Bell Bottom, who plays Vaani Kapoor’s spouse, is a national-level chess player. He has a strong memory and speaks Hindi, English, French, and German fluently. Vaani Kapoor, who plays Akshay Kumar’s wife, is stunning on-screen, and although having limited screen time, she contributes significantly to her character’s development.
Adil Hussain, Huma Qureshi, and Lara Dutta all play essential parts in the film. Given the amount of excitement around the film, particularly Lara Dutta’s make-up, we can safely assume that her transformation into former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is rather impressive. She’s almost unrecognizable! Huma Qureshi emerges to assist the Indian team as they rescue Indian people who are trapped aboard the hijacked airliner.
Kumar is in top form and consistently strong. He makes the most of his star power, and he does so with zeal. It takes a lot of confidence and conviction to play Indira Gandhi on TV, and Lara Dutta does it admirably. Dolly Ahluwalia plays Akshay Kumar’s mother, and the two have several heartwarming and humorous sequences together.
The movie, written by Aseem Arora and Parveez Shaikh, is exciting and manages to keep your interest for the entire 2 hours. However, there is a lot of back and forth in the tale; you will have to cling to every minute of the action as it develops. Nevertheless, the movie’s pace stays consistent, and the storyline and characters do not lose momentum.
You’d think the movie of this nature would have a lot of goosebumps, but that’s not the case. While riding along with the plot, the events that transpire do not truly captivate you emotionally. In addition, the film left some unsolved topics, such as the misery of the captives and the terrorists’ hijacking intentions. The film’s finale is a little disappointing and ends suddenly.
Ultimately, the movie has drawbacks yet never fails to delight. ‘Bell Bottom’ attracted a Bollywood, big-budget commercial film that deserves to be seen in theatres. And, of course, because this movie symbolizes the reopening of cinemas after months of closure due to the pandemic’s second wave, audiences may treat themselves to a magnificent cinema experience with this one.
