IB 71 Movie Review

Wars are won not just by the valor of those who fight the ground, but also by crafty intelligence agents. It is 1971, and the Indo-Pak war is looming. How best to stymie the dastards in Pakistan who are busy reaching out to their counterparts in China? Simple, declares superspy Dev (Vidyut Jammwal), just block the Indian airspace, and promptly gets down to doing just that.

IB71 claims to have been cobbled together from actual events, but the execution is both simplistic-comic-book and convoluted. Two Kashmir sympathisers, played by Vishal Jethwa and Ashwath Bhatt, are steered towards a clunky hijacking: an old plane is given a lick of paint, a bunch of primed spooks, led by the doughty Dev, are on it, and our two thickly-accented Kashmiri gents are given a chance to wave a pistol and demand that the pilots land in Rawalpindi. No can do, low on fuel, the pilots say, so Lahore it is.

IB 71 Movie Story

Indian Intelligence finds itself taken by surprise when it is revealed that both Pakistan and China pose a significant threat to India, signaling potential attacks. In order to avert this imminent danger, IB agent Dev Jammwal devises a strategic plan aimed at safeguarding the nation by effectively closing off Indian airspace.

IB 71 Movie Plot

Set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict, IB 71 chronicles the story of blocking the air space to put an end to the air strike plotting done by Pakistan in tandem with China. However, due to protocols, the Indian Agencies can’t execute the mission and hence decide to take a route that none could expect. Based on intel about the hi-jack of a flight from Kashmir to Jammu, IB agent, Dev Jammwal, becomes a part of the hi-jack to eventually pass on the blame on Pakistan in-turn leading to the airspace blocking in sync with international protocols.

IB 71 Movie Script Analysis

IB 71 is a well-shot film – director Sankalp Reddy and cinematographer Gnana Shekar V.S – capture the beauty of Kashmir and present it like a spectacle on screen. The story of IB 71 by Aditya Shastri is intriguing, though the issue is with the screenplay and dialogues. The film has moments in the second half that hold attention and create interest in what comes next.

The pre-interval action block, the action sequence in the hotel, and the telephone interaction sequence in the middle of the second half are the moments that shine bright and make the film an average watch. Sadly, these are the only moments that work well in the narrative, as the other sequences don’t come together. The performances by Vidyut Jammwal and Anupam Kher are two other plus points for IB 71.

IB 71 Movie Cinematography

IB 71 is let down by a shoddy screenplay, as the first hour is filled with moments that just lead to confusion. The conflict is not established for a chunk of the film and the characters don’t get enough time to shine on-screen. The film probably warranted a longer runtime to simplify the conflict before concluding.

The villain’s track is one of the biggest negative aspects of IB 71. Vishal Jethwa’s track doesn’t lead seamlessly into the story. It’s surprising that the director of Ghazi Attack has come up with a rather incomplete film. Though the episodes of IB 71 are based on true and real events, the execution makes us question if it really happened. The film does gain momentum in the second half, but even then, it requires a big suspension of disbelief for the way Pakistani Agents behave in the story.

IB 71 Movie Star Performances

Vidyut Jammwal does well as IB agent Dev Jammwal. He is restrained and underplays himself beautifully to play an intelligence officer. He is effortless in the action sequences and the more you see him, the more you believe that a right action story with Vidyut can be a treat for the audience. Anupam Kher as IB Chief N.S. Awasthi plays his usual self and has mastered the art of playing characters in this zone through the years. Vishal Jethwa acts well but is let down by a poorly sketched role. The film has a big ensemble cast – ranging from Dalip Tahil, Faizan Khan, Suvrat Joshi, and Mir Sarwar among others – and everyone does a decent job in their limited roles.

IB 71 Movie Conclusion

IB 71 is an average affair that had the potential to be a great watch. The film warranted better, or rather, smarter writing to leave an impact, though some moments in the second half save it from being a complete letdown.