IB71

IB71 is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language spy thriller film based on the 1971 Indian Airlines hijacking, written and directed by Sankalp Reddy. It stars Vidyut Jammwal, Vishal Jethwa and Faizan Khan, alongside Anupam Kher, Ashwath Bhatt, Danny Sura and Suvrat Joshi. IB71 is Jammwal's first film as a producer and was released on 12 May 2023 to mixed reviews from critics.

Plot
In 1971, the Intelligence Bureau receives critical information about Pakistan and China's impending attacks on India within 10 days. With limited time and resources, IB agent Dev Jammwal tells his superior N.S. Avasti that the only plan to counter this threat is by implementing an airspace blockade, which blocked Indian airspace access to Pakistan and tried to show the violation of the Tashkent Agreement, which involves orchestrating the hijacking of an Indian plane by Kashmiri separatists and ensuring its landing in Pakistani territory. Initially dismissed as an implausible scheme by the government, they eventually recognize its potential and agree to execute the well-structured operation. Complications arise when the entire team of passengers, comprising intelligence officers, find themselves lodged in a Lahore hotel, where events unfold in an unforeseen circumanstances, thus deviating from the original plan.

Production
Principal photography began in January 2022 in Mumbai. In March 2022 Kher joined the shoot.

Music
The music of the film is composed by Vikram Montrose while background score is composed by Prashanth R Vihari.

Theatrical
IB71 was theatrically released on 12 May 2023.

Home media
The film was premiered on Disney+ Hotstar from 7 July 2023.

Critical response
Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "IB71 is an engaging watch that sheds light on a remarkable chapter of history, instilling a sense of pride in our intelligence network. With a runtime of nearly two hours, the film maintains a screenplay that keeps the audience captivated throughout, ensuring there is never a dull moment." Shaheen Irani of OTTplay gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "IB 71 is a good deal if you want an entertaining weekend watch. It is not the best film out there but for the most bits, it will leave you with a smile."

Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times wrote "Aditya Shastri's story is intriguing and holds a lot of potential to keep you hooked. What doesn't really work is the screenplay for which six people are credited -- Sankalp Reddy, Arjun Varma, E. Vasudeva Reddy, Arun Bhimavarapu, Gargee Singh and Abhimanyu Srivastava. For the longest time, they looked like disjoined and scattered pieces of a puzzle. Even when the story is picking pace, there is very little or no connect with how it unfolds for audiences to understand." Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost gave 2.25 out of 5 stars and wrote "Vidyut Jammwal gives his brawn a rest and lets his brain do the talking in this mildly engrossing but otherwise trite thriller." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "IB71 leaves one with the nagging feeling that it could have been a much better film has the writing been a less of the by-the-numbers kind. But even as a middling spy drama, it is not without its moments."

Zinia Bandyopadhyay of India Today gave 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Vidyut Jammwal's IB 71, which is based on true events, is an account of what happened during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. With a sluggish first half, followed by a thrilling second half, the film is a decent thriller." Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "This Vidyut Jammwal film IB71 claims to have been cobbled together from actual events, but the execution is both simplistic-comic-book and convoluted."

Box office
As of 29 June, the film collected inr 291900000.