Runway 34 Movie Review: Engaging Face Off Between Ajay Devgn & Amitabh Bachchan And Technical Brilliance Ensure A Safe Landing

An aviation thriller or aviation drama has never been Bollywood's favorite, and maybe that's why we haven't got any classic films to name. While we keep searching for one good movie, Hollywood has broken the formula way back in the 1920s with Oscar winner The Wings (1927) and then some other good films in the 30s and 40s too. Whether it was Cary Grant's Only Angels Got Wings (1939) or James Stewart's The Spirit Of St. Louis (1957), both films showed us the potential of dramatic elements that can be put together with a pilot's theme. There's no doubt that Ajay Devgn is one of the finest actors we have in the industry today. But he has also tried his hand in movie direction.

His last two directorials, U Me Aur Hum (2008) and Shivaay, were never made for the masses, but both were challenging films for a new director. With Runway 34, he takes on even the bigger challenge of making an aviation thriller based on a true story. The challenge and pressure were too high this time, and I must say, he gave justice to the most challenging film he has ever made. Runway 34 is technically brilliant and well executed, considering the fact that we have never seen an aviation thriller on such a large scale with such big stars. Yes, it lacks a few things here and there, but that doesn't harm much. The flight lands safely in difficult situations, and that's all that matters.

The film is inspired by the true event of the Jet Airways Doha to Kochi flight 9W 555, a Boeing 737–800 aircraft that had a narrow escape on 18 August 2015, after facing difficulties landing at Cochin International Airport due to bad weather and unclear visibility at 5:45 in the morning. Runway 34 has Ajay Devgn playing the lead role of captain Vikrant Khanna, who makes a safe landing of Skyline's jet along with his co-pilot, Tanya Albuquerque, played by Rakul Preet. After the incident, Vikrant becomes a hero, but his reluctant celebration comes to a halt as AIB's honest and strict officer, Narayan Vedant (Amitabh Bachchan), shows a keen interest in the case. The first half of the film is about the landing process, while the second half is about investigation and court arguments.

Runway 34 has got three lead performers, and all three take the film much higher. Ajay Devgn as Vikrant keeps saying, "Jalaya to nahi na?" but he literally ignites the screen with his presence. Those intense eyes of his are at work again; they do just what they have been doing for years. His control over his speech and sheer talent of speaking through his eyes make Vikrant Khanna absolutely brilliant. Amitabh Bachchan's voice and charisma can never go out of fashion, no matter how many years pass, and that's what Narayan Vedant's character proves again. Big B is just top-notch in those argument scenes, and his long speeches will be a treat for your ears.

The female lead, Rakul Preet, has set a standard for herself. Runway 34 is by far her best performance in Bollywood so far, and it came in the most challenging role too. I don't remember seeing Rakul in such a pressure-cooker situation before, and the way she holds the emotions and speech in those difficult scenes is really commendable. She leaves an impact opposite two high-calibre actors, Ajay Devgn and Big B, and I think that's great. The supporting cast of Aakanksha Singh, Angira Dhar, Boman Irani, CarryMinati and others add good support.

Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan's writing is filled with thrills, drama, emotions, and conflicts that are indeed believable because the entire concept is based on true events. Despite the use of cinematic Liberty, Runway 34 looks reliable and trustworthy. Kewlani and Khan add enough heroism and typical Bollywood masala into a multiplex driven thrill to make Runway 34 a good watch. The cinematography of Aseem Bajaj adds strong technical support with those pan frames, 360-degree angles, and multiple cameras, while the dialogues are very accessible. Runway 34 has only one song, and even that one is situational. There are no big boring moments as such, but the 20 minutes post-interval are a little slow. However, the film picks up well in the last 30 minutes and lands in a safe zone.

Ajay Devgn, as a director, has certainly gone one level up with this film. The first half shows you the technical brilliance of director Ajay Devgn, while the second half is about human material and the drama that we have been seeing for years, with a new touch, of course. He makes sure that Runway 34 will offer the audience something new, and he fulfils all the promises. He confers us with a brand new genre – the aviation thriller, which we have all been missing for years, and it's far away from cringe-worthy mass films. Overall, Runway 34 is a good attempt and definitely deserves to be watched for its high-tech elements and Ajay and Big B's engaging face off.