Way back in 1995, Hollywood stalwarts Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman had teamed up for Crimson Tide, a movie about the clash of wills between an impulsive submarine captain and his level-headed subordinate during a tense mission. Cut to 2017- Rana Daggubati and Kay Kay Menon come together for a similar film set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pak clash. When the Indian Navy receives reports that PNS Ghazi, a top Pakistani submarine has been deployed to destroy Indian Navy's pride INS Vikrant, submarine S-21 is launched under the command of war-hungry Captain Ranvijay Singh (Menon) for a reconnaissance mission.

While the Indian Army and Air Force have had their share of Hindi films, the Navy hasn't always been all that popular. The Gazi Attack is that rare story where director Sankalp Reddy shows us a glimpse of under water war between India and Pakistan. The movie also touches upon the dichotomy of politics in war, where decision makers can end up risking the lives of our soldiers in an attempt for diplomacy. With its unique premise of submarine wars this film recreates the war legend of PNS Ghazi during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

"Dive to 300," instructs the submarine's badass captain (Kay Kay Menon). "300?" Everybody looks and exults in amazement, much like those fellows from the famous Hayward's beer ad, upping alcohol levels in the bottle: "Hayward's. 5,000?" Here of course we're talking about the Indian navy's submarine going below the usually acceptable sea levels, while it's been hovering so far at 250 metres already, with 2 lakh tons' worth of water pressure over it.

Got to hand it to first-time director Sankalp Reddy: he sure aims high. He merits full marks on that score. But like the torpedoes fired in the film, The Ghazi Attack misses its mark more often than not, notwithstanding the impressive scale of its ambition and execution. The film, made in Telugu and Hindi, imagines the circumstances in which the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi sank in the Bay of Bengal a day after India joined the 1971 war to liberate Bangladesh. The Ghazi Attack delivers many a riveting moment and is bolstered by the talent of a few capable actors. Its plot however, is devoid of any mystery.

The Ghazi Attack is a true story based on the mysterious events that took place just before the 1971 Indo-Pak war broke out. PNS Ghazi had set out to destroy the one and only Indian aircraft carrier - INS Vikrant. That's when S-21, another submarine was sent out to stop Ghazi. It was a classified mission that no one knew of. While Indian Navy has claimed to have destroyed to PNS Ghazi, Pakistan Navy believe the PNS Ghazi exploded as it collided with its own landmines. Till date, the truth remains hidden.

S21- INS Rajput, led by Captain Rann Vijay Singh (Kay Kay Menon), Lieutenant Arjun Verma (Rana Daggubati) and Officer Devraj (Atul Kulkarni) is sent on a recce mission in Bay Of Bengal for any hint of Pakistani activity after intelligence reports suggesting the same. Rann Vijay Singh is a hot headed captain who doesn't shy away from a war and wants to kill the enemy at first sight. Arjun on the other hand is ordered to maintain peace and await for orders. While Devraj tries to be the peacemaker between the two, Pakistani submarine, Ghazi is planning their attack.

For all its technical limitations and over-dramatic narrative at times, The Ghazi Attack ticks all the right boxes for a war film. One must appreciate debutant director Sankalp Reddy's sincere efforts in making a film, that for the first time, delves into the depths of the sea, to fish out a story based on a classified mission undertaken by the Indian Navy on the eve of the 1971 war with Pakistan.

A war film is not exactly common in Indian cinema, and one that focusses completely on a chapter from a conflict without digressing into romance, dreams and dances needs to be lauded, and Sankalp Reddy's Telugu work, The Ghazi Attack has the ability to engross. What is more, Reddy has managed to get a really impressive star cast of Om Puri, Nasser (though in minuscule role), Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon and others.

"ALL people associated with this film are law-abiding citizens." Yes, films have come to that now. The Ghazi Attack starts with this disclaimer, before going on to declare that its intention is not to outrage or offend anybody, that it doesn't in any manner support the expressions used by its characters, and that it makes no claim to historical accuracy.

With The Ghazi Attack, director Sankalp Reddy brings you all an untold story of the war between India and Pakistan which happened in 1971 under the seal belt of Vizag. It is a well made film technically but considering the subject of the film, the runtime of 125 minutes is a lot stretched.

An elaborate disclaimer at the beginning of The Ghazi Attack clarifies that though it is inspired by historic events, it is 'purely a work of fiction'. While various versions of this underwater incident have surfaced, this film is based on the claim that Indian submarine INS-Rajput (renamed as S-21 here) attacked Ghazi, resulting in its subsequent sinking near India's eastern coast.

THE GHAZI ATTACK's story (Sankalp Reddy) is based on the mysterious sinking of 'PNS Ghazi' during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The film starts off with a tremendously engaging baritone voiceover of Amitabh Bachchan, who gives an insight into the story set up. After the Indian Navy decodes a cryptic message by the Pakistan Navy about a surprise attack on India, the Indian Navy officers become extremely alert about the situation.