Movie Review: The Ghazi Attack

Release Date: February 17, 2017
Cast: Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Om Puri, Nassar, Rahul Singh, Tapsee Pannu
Director: Sankalp Reddy
Genre: Thriller, History
Duration: 2 hours 3 minutes

As war films go, there are many in Bollywood, but this is the first time the plot goes underwater to unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi. The Ghazi attack was a pre-emptive strike by Pakistan intended to destroy India's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Pakistani army wanted to gain entry to East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) via the sea route during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, which is why it had sent its US-made submarine Ghazi to destroy INS Vikrant. How the Indian armed forces dealt with the attack, the role of INS-Rajput, and all that transpired during the underwater seize is what the movie is all about.

The movie begins with a disclaimer claiming that it is a work of fiction even though it has sought inspiration from historic events. Even the name of INS-Rajput has been changed to S-21. The movie begins as the Indian intelligence network comes to know that a Pakistani submarine has infiltrated the Indian waters. The S-21 is ordered to carry out a search operation, which is led by Capt Ranvijay Singh (Kay Kay Menon), second-in-command Devaraj (Atul Kulkarni) and officer Arjun (Rana Daggubati).

It's good to see a Bollywood movie filming the insides of a submarine and warship with all the high-end equipment, geek stuff and the terminology used among officers. It must have taken quite a bit of research and effort to recreate the time and space of the 1970's era. It's a hugely engaging film from the start, and the credit for that goes to debutant director Sankalp Reddy. The actors including Kay Kay, Atul and Rana have delivered good performances, which enhances the overall effect of the claustrophobic spaces inside the submarine.

The Ghazi Attack scores high for its unique, riveting story. If you like war movies, this one's definitely a must watch.