'Sorry Akshay Kumar, Airlift fails to show correct facts'

New Delhi, Jan 29: Akshay Kumar starrer movie Airlift has impressed everyone in the nation. The Bollywood actor and the director of the movie, Raja Menon have been praised by all.

However, the movie seems to have failed to impress External Affair Ministry (MEA) of India. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup claimed that the movie, which portrays the Kuwait evacuation of 1990, did not show the correct and actual facts.

[Airlift Movie Review: A Must Watch For Every Indian]

The story has been running with the "true story" tag. However, according to Swarup, the movie is "great entertainment but rather short on facts".

.@AirliftFilm: Great entertainment but rather short on facts :) Here's our takehttps://t.co/Ik6S9ZLHR6

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) January 28, 2016

"This is a film and films often take liberties with actual events, facts. This particular film has also taken artistic liberties in the depiction of the events as it actually happened in Kuwait in 1990," said. He said those who remember the 1990 evacuation would also know the "very proactive" role that the MEA played.

The film, written and directed by Raja Menon, shows diplomats leaving within hours of Iraq entering Kuwait and leaving hapless Indian nationals behind. As the embassy shut down, it fell upon a band of local businessmen, including Akshay Kumar, to organise a refugee camp, negotiate with the Iraqis and return home. It also showed that external affairs ministry was least interested in evacuating Indians.

While former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao was highly critical of the film in her tweet, Vikas Swarup was more diplomatic yet focussed on the ministry's effort.

RajaMenon minimised MEArole in order to make #RanjitKatiyal prime mover but reinforced public image of govt lethargy https://t.co/te1VZdNksc

— Nirupama Rao (@NMenonRao) January 28, 2016

No quarrel with Raja Menon's take on depicting how Katiyal became proud Indian. But wish he imaged MEA better. https://t.co/te1VZdNksc

— Nirupama Rao (@NMenonRao) January 28, 2016

You did right @sunetrac ! Great programme. Maybe we need full length documentary on real story of Kuwait evacuation. https://t.co/Zvey3H5x1d

— Nirupama Rao (@NMenonRao) January 28, 2016

He mentioned that official delegation was sent to Baghdad and Kuwait and that tremendous coordination was put in place with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India and a host of other government departments.

"I myself can vouch for this as I myself was on the front lines of evacuating Indians from Kuwait who were coming into Turkey via Syria," Swarup said.

In the film, the MEA has been shown as lacking a proactive approach. He said that those who may not remember the 1990 evacuation, would certainly remember the more recent evacuations that the MEA had coordinated from Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Ukraine.

"We do hope that the film will inspire people to read more about the actual events that took place and the very proactive role that MEA has always played in safeguarding the interest, concerns and security of Indian citizens who live and work abroad," he said.

Swarup pointed out that the fact that such a theme has been selected for a film shows how important this is. "We in the MEA consider the protection of Indian citizens abroad as among our foremost responsibilities. We have proved this in the past and shall continue to do so in the future as well," he said.

OneIndia News
(With agency inputs)