User reviews

After watching trailer and reviews with lot of exceptions i gone for movie in the 2nd day, Superb movie, Parvathy is really awesome. Storyline is similar to many movies but the acting and direction makes the movie perfect and to the next level. Parvathy got the exact role to show her acting talent.all other actor done their job very well. Camera and direction is also superb. In short a must watch Malayalam movie of 2017.

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.

© MandalBros.

Take Off (2017):

Take Off is inspired by the real-life rescue of Indian nurses who were stranded in Tikrit, Iraq, during the country's civil war in 2014.Starring one of my favorite actress Parvathy Menon,I had huge expectations on this film.So how is it?

Plot:

Sameera (Parvathy Thiruvoth) is a 31-year-old nurse who is being forced by her circumstances to take a job in Iraq.She is a divorcée and has an eight-year-old son,but that's not a problem at all for Shahid (Kunchacko Boban),her colleague, who is ready to accompany her to the troubled land. Sameera accepts to marry him, in yet another attempt to keep her and her closed ones' life afloat.But when they land in Iraq,things starts getting worse.

Plus Points:

1)Performances: Parvathy plays Sameera with the sense of perfection she is known for. The agonies of a woman caught caught up in a cobweb of personal, professional and even international crises come alive on screen through her.Definitely an award winning performance.Kunchacko pulls a restrained and subtle performance as Shahid, who also serves as the undying ray of hope in Sameera's life.Fahadh is show-stealer in second half.His expressions of contempt and impudence at his senior officials add a few doses of heroism in the film.

2)Screenplay and Direction: Editor-turned-filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan's debut directorial is exceptional.With the story being familiar, the challenge awaiting the director was presenting the plot in an engaging manner, taking cinematic liberties. And Mahesh along with co-scriptwriter PV Shajikumar does it with aplomb.Never once does it slack – despite the first half being a drama. The director also ensures that in between the taut screenplay, the movie addresses the plight of nurses who travel abroad seeking employment to pay off loans, to take care of their family and for better prospects even if it means putting their lives on the line.

So,Take Off is another worth watching film of Malayalam with terrific performances and engaging screenplay.

My rating 7.5/10

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!

It is one of the awesome thriller that I have come across.

It's a fantastic thriller movie and you can no doutedly enjoy this movie along with you friends and family members.

It's one of the best movie.

All the actors in this movie have played their role so beautifully.

Undoutedly all of them have owned the characters and done justice to their part.

The technicians behind the scenes have really done a faboulous job.

The way of story telling captures all the attention.

You will feel good after watching this movie.

Please do watch the movie. Do not miss it.

Thanks for reading the review. I hope you will make wise decision to watch the movie.

Story - Based on the incident where Indian nurses were midst the war in Iraq. The way the Indian women struggled and came out safely by their strength and witt and Fahadh Faasil's rescue mission was breathtaking and kudos to the team for the portrayal of the actual incident.

Performance Parvathy - just amazes me by her acting skills and the way she gets into the skin of the character... Fahadh Faasil - no words for his performance. His role added substance in the content. Kunchacko Boban - loved his performance.

Would definitely recommend everyone to watch this movie.

While watching this movie, I realized that it really does suck to be an Indian. We have to stand in queues to get jobs, to emigrate to other countries or even to buy a bottle of alcohol. Our lives are a series of application forms to be filled and photostats to be submitted. I had tears in my eyes during the first scene and even the scenes at the end with the pictures of the nurses meeting their families after. Why are we always at the mercy of governments and dictators?

I loved the account of the Muslim lady's personal life. But hated the scene where she dons the burqa with glee. Would one Indian filmmaker have the guts to feature a scene where a Muslim lady tears off her burqa? The patriotic scenes towards the end were also a bit cringe-worthy. I mean, these ladies left the country for Iraq because they could not make ends meet with their meager salaries in the so called fastest growing economy in the world. Take Off must also be one of the first films in the world about the ISIS menace.

Parvathi pretty much carries this film on her shoulders. She towers over the three other leading men. She completely owned this film. I was not too impressed by her in Bangalore Days. But she really impressed me in this. I liked the film because it accurately portrays the sense of anomie and constant uncertainty that characterizes most Indian lives.

Awestruck by this movie. Focused towards the storyline. Great work

Thrillers in the backdrop of civil wars is relatively new for Malayalam cinema, unless you consider Major Ravi's turkeys as films. This one here by a debutante director thoroughly impresses, mostly because of its gut-wrenching story based on true events that is highly relevant as we move forward in 2017...

Sameera (Parvathy) is a nervy young Muslim woman who is the sole breadwinner of her family. A nurse at a local hospital, she, along with few of her colleagues, has now received an opportunity to go and work for the Iraqi government. Money is the only motivation for her right now, and the fact that she is a divorcée acts as a thorn to her ultimate quest: lead a merry life. Cajoled by her family, she finally reciprocates her love for Shaheed (Kunchacko Boban), a fellow nurse at her hospital. They marry and leave for the Muslim country as a couple, unbeknown to the reality that is waiting to encapsulate and destroy their healing lives...

The story follows Sameera, her husband, and a bunch of Indian nurses who find themselves in the middle of the ongoing civil war in Iraq. Director Mahesh Narayan and writer P V Shajikumar have developed a tight story to drive home few messages, the primary of which involves the existence of hope and how it helps you fight the darkest of fears. With the ISIS controlling their part of Iraq, it is Sameera's leadership and conviction that the writers try to highlight here, referring a lot of relevant, stark social causes along the way.

Director Narayan has crafted his story well, closing all loose ends and narrating the story in an efficient way right from the beginning. Once you ignore and go past the spelling mistakes in the opening credits and a very long preamble, things start catching pace as Sameera spearheads the screen with her absolutely nuanced performance (one of the best of 2017 so far) as the highly-strung woman. The little bits of pulpy storytelling with dashes of fervent realism, humor, and romance makes the first half an engaging experience. Viewers can definitely relate to the characters: be it that of Sameera or one of her in-laws who are torchbearers of suppression.

Sameera is full of anxiety because she has this bucket of responsibilities over her head that she has to deal with, and at the same time has to sustain the heavy societal pressures that challenge her ambitions as a whole. Feminism is not really the topic here, but the makers definitely hint at the hardships that women have to go through in a conservative society, here, in spite of being the only working person in her family. Sameera is an independent woman and the story focuses on her conviction to stand abreast even when a rifle's barrel is pointed at her forehead. The extents that she goes in the second half to do what she has to do is a powerful rendition of all the strong voices that sway in the air around us, making us all have faith in our world riddle with hate and chaos.

With a powerful score backing the on screen happenings, the bloodshed, the shelling, the horror - the film does not sit idle one single moment. Viewers are bound to see themselves on the edge of their seats, rooting for the characters even as the emotional thriller starts tugging at your vulnerable heart strings. It wouldn't be surprising to see a tear escaping your eye as you follow Sameera's journey through the bullet-ridden streets of Iraq. Moreover, there's some great photography here, depicting the bloodied parchments of Mosul and Tikrit - which all add up to the film's superiority in terms of storytelling and production design. I was not really impressed with the camera work, but the cast performance is so brilliant, you can easily ignore it.

As mentioned above, Parvathy is fabulous as Sameera, the main protagonist of the film. She is well-supported by Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Asif Ali, and Prakash Belawadi. It is the performance and realistic portrayal of the characters that helps one ignore all the minor shortcomings of the film which has something to do with convenience and forced writing. However, the film asks you to look at the brighter side, so that's what we should do. Narayan has directed his actors well, and created a gripping package for the Malayalam audience to watch and get enthralled at after last month's Jay K's groundbreaking horror film, "Ezra".

If you remove the civil war part from the film, it is evident that the focus is on the masterly profession of nurse. And the film as a whole pays ode to that profession, saluting the millions of nurses (White Helmets, Red Cross) who courageously defy the odds and fight for people's good health even in times of absolute despair. A la Raja Krishna Menon's 2016 blockbuster Bollywood film, "Airlift", this one is a real triumph in Malayalam cinema, giving us a great, heart- wrenching take on the ongoing war.

Had there been a meme for this film, the text in it would summarize the story of the film as "Restoring faith in humanity". With an F- word sampled towards the end, this film achieves more things than it originally signed up for and that makes me extremely happy.

BOTTOM LINE: Mahesh Narayan's "Take Off" is a well-crafted story about the power of hope in a world threatened by growing terrorism. It samples a lot of emotions that is so rare in Malayalam cinema, it is like a breath of fresh air. Book a ticket and watch it in your nearest theater now. It's a film that couldn't have released at a better time.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Brutally gripping and brilliantly realistic, this is all that Airlift tried to be but couldn't. Not just the best Malayalam movie of the year, but one of the best of the year overall. Parvathy amazes with each role she takes up, every one of them different from the other, and she carries this movie on her able shoulders. Fahad Fazil, Kunchako Boban and others provide admirable support, but the biggest kudos should go to the director here. Based on the incident where Indian nurses in Iraq were kidnapped by Isis, and their eventual release, this movie deserves as wide an audience as it can get, and Parvathy and its director deserve all the accolades they can get for it.

Dont compare it with ek the tiger. This movie is great

This movie is so realistic . The background songs make the fear on viewers ,acting and casting is also great.

Rescue of 46 Indian nurses from War laden Iraq is a story which had to be told. Since this one is from the Malayalam film industry it has the heart of the storyline as majority of those victims were Malayali.The first half of the movie also showcases the unexpected struggle of a single mother played by Parvathy. All in all Take off is a well written , directed and acted drama that one should invest into.

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

The movie is really great, it had really nice feel. The casting too was great.

This is the film on whose central premise _Tiger Zinda Hai_ was based.

It is heavy on drama and low on thrills. Parvathy and Fahad Fazil are super competent in their respective acts. But they could not stop me from losing interest in the happenings, as there is barely a scene that makes you catch your breath, which I expected as the second half is set in what was then ISIS territory.

The background music is soulful and heart rending. It, coupled with the acting, is a saving grace.

Not as good as its ratings make it out to be.

Realistic acting, superb screenplay, camera, M and direction.

An amazing watch. You won't regret it ever.

Well I finished Take Off when I Landed.

Enjoyed watching it, good performances by almost everyone. And very apt comparison between their tragic regular lives and horrific war.

Take Off might a handful of those films which essay the emotions of those events that happened in real life into the wide screen with an array of exemplary actors and actresses. Take Off doesn't fail as a film but it fails as a theme to capture the minds of the avid film lovers into the true nature of the belief system existing nowadays. Take Off takes us into the various atmospheres, succeeding at some and failing at a few. Although i liked how the Malayalam industry is progressing into making a class film with some really good themes to prey upon, it should not also forget that developing something too much can also result in downfall. Take Off might be a film that will be praised for a short while, but in the long run films better than this will take its spot.

In terms of the story and screenplay, Take Off has shone brightly, with some technical glitches aside Take Off is a masterpiece in color grading and exemplary cinematography. The Cinematography done by Sanu Varghese is truly magnificent, providing a platform for the viewers to choose upon. The other technical aspects have been dealt with nicely, with nail biting score and composing, Take Off is a film that you should grab your seats for. The screenplay covers the shame induced by the story. Even though the film has laid out a fundamental theme that could have been developed better, the ongoing screenplay between the various amount of characters was shown clinically beautiful, laboring the need for a better screenwriter next time.

Overall, Take Off should have been a film that would have been termed a 'masterpiece' but it falls a little short of that at the end. Take Off is a must watch for everyone ; Patriotism, Action, Emotions and aesthetically present humor is vividly brought the screen by a solid script and a perfectly molded cast.

8.4 / 10

A BIG HIGH FIVE !

Appreciate the effort by the producers to bring this very relevant real-life story to the mass. The movie has vividly portrayed the resilience of the nurses (and malayalees in general), the seriousness of the situation and avoiding the cliche that the antagonists are straight from hell. Beyond that the movie is a criticism to the Kerala society's disrespect to nurses (salary) while even terrorists in a war torn country could value them more.

Mostly done well, at times I felt the pace too slow or fast. Acting is mostly done well with good performance from Parvathy. Kunchacko Boban's role was totally unnecessary though he acted ok.

Yes the film is based on true incidents.film indeed kept me engaging thoroughly. At the last scene is just goosebumps,loved it.

when I came to know the TakeOff was based on real-life rescue mission conducted by MOE of India I was eagerly waiting to watch and I was well pleased by the movie from all view.About the movie, great script & superb direction & entire crew of actors were superbly performed. I guess in a Malayalam industry this movie passed the milestone of a low budget with using advanced technology and especially outdoor locations are marvelous which were satisfied as a viewer.TakeOff gives message real life struggle of Nurses whom being called as Angles of God but being treated poor.hats off to the entire crew of the movie.