It seems filmmaker Ranjit M Tewari is very much interested in stories where people are trapped somewhere. While his debut film Lucknow Central (2017) was about a group of wrongly imprisoned people attempting a jailbreak, his upcoming Bell Bottom revolves around airplane passengers taken hostage.
The film is said to be inspired from an incident dating back to 1984. A long disclaimer at the start of the trailer proclaims that the makers do not vouch for the film's historical accuracy and that the film has been made only for entertainment.
The trailer starts with the then prime minister (played by an almost unrecognizable Lara Dutta Bhupathi with the same get-up as the late Indira Gandhi) furious and worried as another plane has been hijacked and the lives of 210 passengers are in danger. An intelligence officer (Adil Hussain) suggests calling in a heroic officer with the codename Bell Bottom (Akshay Kumar).
Bell Bottom is an agent with varied expertise. He takes matters in his own hands and high-level officials are compelled to obey him. He devises a plan and is sure of its success despite being faced with a formidable opponent and having to meet a strict deadline set by the prime minister.
There have been numerous films on plane hijackings. But the trailer makes it clear that the aim of Bell Bottom is simply to be a regular potboiler filled with action, thrill and drama with a dash of humour. The film is made on a lavish scale with a lot being spent on recreating the bygone era of 1984.
The role is tailormade for Akshay Kumar and he appears the perfect fit. Lara Dutta Bhupathi is appealing as the late Mrs Gandhi. The rest of the cast make only fleeting appearances in the trailer.
Produced by Pooja Entertainment and Emmay Entertainment, Bell Bottom is set to be released in theatres on 19 August. Watch the trailer below and let us know if you are keen to watch this actioner.