Take Off

Worth watching. Great acting by Parvaty Menon. Based on real story.

It all goes back to the saying.. the backbone of any film lies in the script and its treatment. In 'Take Off', editor-turned director Mahesh Narayanan presents the ordeal of a group of Keralite nurses stranded in the city of Tikrit, Iraq at the time when ISIS militants took over its reigns. Mahesh centers his story around Sameera (played by a brilliantly nuanced Parvathy) and certain characters who walk in and out of her life. Two things that warrant applause apart from the screenplay are the spot-on casting and excellent performances.

Almost the entire first half is spent portraying the decisive evolution of the lead characters. The viewer learns about Sameera's traits, her family backdrop and the circumstances that coax her to become a divorcée and take up a job in Iraq. Kunchacko Boban displays great maturity in delivering an utterly grounded performance, ably supporting Parvathy. Asif Ali is also present in a cameo, and does his part well. The interval block is executed pretty well. The film dives into thriller mode soonafter. That's also when Fahadh Faasil's character (an Indian Ambassador) enters the scene. As Manoj Abraham, he exudes confidence and turns out to be a show- stopper on multiple instances.

The physical and psychological torment faced by the victims are divulged with absolute honesty and in thoroughly-gripping fashion. The original background score by Gopi Sunder suits the tensive mood of the film. Cinematography by Sanu Varghese is commendable and adds a dash of realism to the exquisitely rich frames. Blood and sand aren't exactly the most pleasing sights to look at, yet Sanu and director Mahesh ensure that they have an enthralling story to narrate, even with their inclusion in heavy dosage. There are certain standout scenes that keep lingering in the viewer's mind long after they leave the cinema hall..such as the one where Sameera meets Manoj to discuss the update on her husband's whereabouts..and the sequence where she breaks down while conversing with him over the phone. The climax is devoid of major edge-of-the-seat moments, still ends up being one of the most satisfying Malayalam movie experiences in recent memory.

The production design definitely draws parallels to its much costlier Bollywood counterpart, last year's Akshay Kumar starrer 'AirLift'. That movie attempted to depict the evacuation of Kuwait- based Indians as a one-man show with much lesser emotional pay-off. Here, the viewer is literally placed in the midst of all the psychological trauma faced by those strong-willed individuals who are coerced into compromising their remuneration and religious beliefs in order to stay alive; the emotional element integrated seamlessly into each and every aspect of the film. If there is still a notable drawback to speak of, it could be the way in which a couple of bomb-blast sequences are executed with the help of not-so- great C.G.I (still a harrowing factor in Malayalam films). Thankfully, this flick does not have to depend too much on computer- generated effects, and hence, even this minor snag can be conveniently absolved.

Benefiting from a riveting screenplay coupled with passionate performances, 'Take Off' also boasts of overall technical perfection and slick production values that make it stand out from the rest of the clutter by a wide margin. For once, the hype paid off. Awaiting your next, Mahesh!

Recommended? An emphatic YES!

I was in for a surprise. I found the trailer good but the movie just blew my mind. From the initial scenes of character nurse Sameera's pain as she struggles between motherhood, a divorce, night shifts and also the tension to get a job in Iraq to the later scenes where she witnesses horribly injured patients at an Iraqi hospital and then the nightmare of ISIS terrorists who hold her & her colleagues hostage are shown brilliantly. Parvathy is near flawless as Sameera and hope she gets another state award for her performance. Kunchacko Boban as her husband and Fahadh Fasil as an Indian Embassy officer are the other major characters in the movie and they both deliver very well. This movie may draw comparisons with the Bollywood movie Airlift released last year due to similar theme of Indians caught in a war zone in Middle East. I'd say both are very good in their own way although each has some flaws too. What I'd remember Take Off for is Parvathy's performance and also many of the tense scenes that involve the terrorists. They get seared into your brain long after the movie is over. But as this movie is only inspired by true events, some of the liberties taken with the story fail to convince in few scenes. Also, the reaction of Fahadh's character to the news that his decision saved some of the Indians from an explosion on a road is quite cinematic, it almost mocks the deaths of the other nationalities caught in that tragedy. But these are somewhat minor flaws in an otherwise masterfully made movie of hope and the will to endure any crisis. I think it's a must see.

Take Off (2017) : Brief Review -

A Classic Evacuation Drama with Emotional Intelligence. What Bollywood's 'Airlift' missed, Take Off has got it alright. Since Hollywood's 'Argo' won Oscars, this evacuation theme got rolling. Bollywood made a spy thriller 'Baby' which had lots of similarities with that and then Raja Menon's evacuation drama 'Airlift' staged it in decent manners. However, the actual potential of emotional and patriotic quotient was not matched by Airlift and it has really bothered me since then. Now, i am very glad to have seen Malayalam Drama 'Take Off' which has matched a certain level of potential and expectations with engrossing human elements. In 2014, a group of Malayali nurses was captured when terrorists took over the city of Tikrit in Iraq. This movie recounts the ordeal suffered by the nurses following their capture. The film looks little offtrack in the begining, not just the beginning but the entire first half is used just to set the things up before the capture. I still think that was not needed but then i have to give a credit for creating a bond between those 3 characters of Husband, his pregnant wife and her son. So, it's like you get to see a family drama in the first half and then thrilling evacuation drama in the second half. The film is powered by the incredible performances of Parvathy Thiruvothu, Kunchacko Boban and Fahadh Faasil. The screenplay is terrific in the second half, the dialogue are fine, cinematography is excellent and Mahesh Narayan's direction is super nice. He crafts a good story with smart conflicts, that's the only thing Airlift missed after directorial genius. Overall, Take Off is a must watch experience. It's high on emotions, passion, reliability and most importantly it has those much needed goosebumps moments coming at right time in right form. Don't miss it.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Take Off is inspired from a true story in which a group of Malayali nurses was captured when terrorists took over the city of Tikrit in Iraq. This movie recounts the ordeals suffered by the nurses following their capture. But it's all in the 2nd half. The 1st half is about a woman and her family, career & her patience.

The more I am seeing Parvathy, my love and respect for her is increasing. She is one of the best actors right now. She became the first ever Malayalam film actor to win Best Female Actor in 48th International Film Festival of India. Mahesh Narayan with his superb vision did great work in his 1st directorial venture.

It's a Must Watch.

Available on Disney+ Hotstar Free.

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