‘Bhuj: The Pride of India’ film review: Shrill, outdated action drama

The real life heroes of 1971 deserved better than this shrill hyper-nationalistic tribute

As the end credits of Bhuj: The Pride of India roll, photographs of squadron leader Vijay Karnik, Indian army scout Ranchordas Pagi and the women of Bhuj who helped repair the damaged Indian Air Force air strip in 1971, are shown. What were their thought processes and what gave them the strength to take on a tough task on war footing? This film doesn’t have the answers, since its formulaic narrative is limited to pandering to its stars. In December 1971, when the airstrip and two pivotal bridges that connect Kutch to the mainland were damaged by Pakistan durimg the war, the onus was on the Indian army to make the airstrip functional again and thwart a larger, looming attack. Karnik was helped by 300 women from Kutch. This story could have been made into a compelling war film that piques interest. However, director Abhishek Dudhaiya and his co-writers Raman Kumar, Ritesh Shah and Pooja Bhavoria pack the film with hyper-nationalistic dialogues, like the ones on on Maratha valour and Mughal outsiders, while missing out on the emotional heft behind the the story.