Captain Gopinath feels 'Soorarai Pottru' captured the true essence

The Internet may be flooded with positive reviews for Soorarai Pottru, a film based on the inspirational journey of Captain (Rtd) G R Gopinath, but this is one feedback that actor Suriya and filmmaker Sudha Kongara will love to hear.

The man, who made air travel affordable and possible for millions of Indians, is happy with the movie, which was released directly on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video on the night of November 11.

"Heavily fictionalised but outstanding in capturing the true essence of the story of my book," Gopinath told DH in his first reaction of the movie. “The movie is very uplifting in these gloomy times of coronavirus pandemic,” he added.

Also read — 'Soorarai Pottru' review: Welcome back, Suriya

The former Indian Army captain is particularly impressed with the portrayal of his wife Bhargavi Gopinath, who stood like a rock behind him as he struggled to launch Air Deccan. The role is played by Aparna Balamurali.

"The portrayal of my wife was very well brought out as a woman who had her own mind, strong but soft, feisty and fearless and an inspiration to women who are equal and can be entrepreneurs in their own right," 63-year-old Captain Gopinath said.

Soorarai Pottru (Hail the Warrior) is an adaptation of Gopinath's 2011 best-selling book Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey. Adapting the book into a movie was an idea first floated by late playwright Girish Karnad. After Karnad opined that the book has "huge cinematic value", Gopinath, the founder of Air Deccan, gave movie rights to Bollywood producer Guneet Monga.

Gopinath watched the movie on the OTT platform on Thursday night and praised Suriya, who he said was “powerful”. “He carried off the part of an entrepreneur obsessed to the point of madness that makes dreams come true,” Gopinath said, adding that many scenes in the movie made him reminisce old memories.

Gopinath knew the movie will be dramatised but imposed only one condition on the filmmakers – it should stay to the essence of the book.

“I watched the movie last night. Couldn’t help laughing on many family scenes. Dramatised but true to the undying spirit of the triumph of hope against struggles and tribulations of an entrepreneur with disadvantaged rural background over overwhelming odds,” the former Indian Army captain said.

Bankrolled by Suriya's 2D Productions in association with Sikhya Entertainment, the movie is dubbed in Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu.

Within hours of the movie streaming live, the movie received an outstanding response with social media, particularly, dotting with reviews from movie-lovers and Suriya fans. Strong women characters and their beautiful portrayal on screen was the silver lining of the movie, the reviews and movie-lovers pointed out.

The makers of Soorarai Pottru took enough care to ensure that Gopinath's life struggles are brought on the screen without any discrepancies. Suriya and his team did meet the former Indian Army Captain to get more insights into his life that transformed the way people travel today.

The movie covers almost every aspect of Gopinath's life — his life in the village, his stint with the Army, his role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war that liberated Bangladesh, back to farming, and his launching of Air Deccan. Gopinath was born in Melkote in Mandya district in 1951 and was brought up in Gorur in Hassan district.