IB71 movie review: Vidyut Jammwal breaks his 'action hero' image in entertaining spy thriller

Director: Sankalp Reddy

Cast: Anupam Kher, Vidyut Jammwal, Vishal Jethwa, Ashwath Bhatt

Where to watch: In cinemas

Rating: 3 stars

There is no dearth of spy thrillers supposedly based on true stories in Hindi cinema these days. The latest addition to the genre is Vidyut Jammwal-starrer IB71, which narrates a thrilling untold story of a few 'watan parast' who risk their lives by embarking on a suicide mission to avert a deadly attack on India. The film is an engaging thriller that allows Jammwal to flex his acting skills and not just his muscles for a change.

IB71 is based on a top-secret mission that took place before the 1971 Indo-Pak war. We all know about the 1971 Battle of Longewala through the iconic Border (1997). This film tells the untold story of a few bravehearts from the Intelligent Bureau, who stepped forward and prevented a potentially bigger threat. IB71 shows how, after losing two wars in 1948 and 1965, Pakistan teams up with China for a troop operation. According to their strategy, Pakistan will bring their fighter planes from Rawalpindi, West Pakistan, to East Pakistan and attack the northeast regions of India. It is to be a two-pronged attack, leaving India unprepared.

IB officer Dev Jammwal (Vidyut Jammwal) intercepts these plans and comes up with an almost-impossible plan about staging the hijack of an Indian plane in Pakistan to block the Indian airspace. With the help and support of Bureau head, Awasthi (Anupam Kher), Dev disguises himself as captain of a decommissioned plane, Ganga and takes 30 agents with him as travellers on the deadly mission. How will Dev manage to save India from a massive attack in ten days?  That's what makes IB71 interesting. 

Watch the trailer of IB71

IB71 starts on a promising, no-nonsense note. Vidyut makes an impressive entry on the screen, and we are in for a thrilling ride. However, as the movie progresses, you will realise that IB71 isn't like any other spy-thrillers. The world-building takes time, and the slow-burn first half might test your patience. The central mission begins in the second half, and that's when the movie becomes engaging. 

With IB71, Vidyut revamps himself as an actor, breaking his image of being just 'an action hero'. The first action scene of IB71, where Vidyut gets into a fight with a group of extremists, happens a full 40 minutes into the film. For those who doubted Vidyut's acting skills, his performance of Dev Jammwal is an eye opener. Other than Vidyut, Vishal Jethwa and Ashwat Bhatt stand out with their seamless performances. 

Vishal Jethwa plays a 17-year-old Kashmiri extremist, Kasim Qureshi. He fights for free Kashmir with his cousin, Ashfaq Qureshi (Faizan Khan), and they are used as pawns by Dev. Kasim is immoral but naive at the same time, and Vishal portrays that balance pretty well. Ashwat plays a Pakistani agent Afsal Aga, who intends to stop Dev and defeat the Indians at any cost. With Raazi, Sita Ramam, Mission Majnu, and now IB71, Bhatt has proved himself as a solid supporting actor. If he's in a film, he will justify his character and add value to the plot. Apart from them, Dalip Tahil impresses in his cameo as former Pakistan president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. You wish to see more of him, but the storyline allows only limited screen time to him. Anupam Kher also grabs your attention every time he appears on the screen. 

Writer-director Sankalp Reddy deserves a mention for bringing out the untold stories from the pages of hidden Indian history and celebrating unsung heroes. The pace of IB71 is similar to Sankalp's The Ghazi Attack. The events take time, but they build up an engaging story that thrills us. The set design and production value are top-notch. Throughout the film, you feel like you have been transported to the era. 

But there are shortcomings too. One of the significant drawbacks of this film is the sluggish first half. You might lose interest in between and find it too slow for a spy thriller. The movie also lacks suspense factor and isn't at par with thrillers like Madras Cafe, Baby, or Raazi. You don't feel the adrenaline rush in the pivotal moments. Still, the movie is a decent thriller.