Siddharth Anand’s latest offering ‘Fighter’ was released just ahead of Republic Day, hoping to tap into the patriotic spirit of the nation. The high-octane action flick pays tribute to the Indian Air Force while crafting a fictional tale of courage.
Fighter falls into the genre of patriotic cinema but has its own unique identity. Unlike regular nationalistic movies, it blends real incidents like the 2019 Balakot airstrikes with a gripping fictional story about an elite IAF squadron.
The narrative follows Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania (Hrithik Roshan) who loses his fiancée in a terror attack. He defies orders from his superior Rakesh (Anil Kapoor) for which he gets suspended from the squad.
In parallel, intelligence reports suggest another deadly assault being planned on an Indian base camp by Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. What follows is high-octane aerial action sequences as the brave IAF pilots try to thwart the attack.
Director Siddharth Anand, known for slick action entertainers, breaks new ground by recreating authentic air combat ops. The rigorous training the lead stars underwent with real IAF fighters shows in their on-screen swagger and stunts.
Unlike jingoistic films, Fighter wears its patriotism lightly without overly chest-thumping dialogues or dramatics. The soundtrack skillfully stirs nationalistic passion with songs like ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Vande Mataram’.
In playing an air warrior torn by loss, Hrithik brings both machismo and vulnerability. Deepika as a gutsy pilot gets to perform some daring action scenes.
With the director’s spy verse showing no signs of fatigue post-War and Pathaan, Fighter takes the franchise to new heights both literally and figuratively. Anand once again proves his mastery over the action genre by delivering a slick and stylish ode to the Indian Air Force.
