Bell Bottom (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Anshul joined RAW because his mother Raavi died during a hijacking in 1979. During the crisis, hijackers deliberately withheld her inhaler, causing her death. RAW later revealed this was part of a larger conspiracy involving the mastermind behind multiple hijackings. The trauma of losing his mother and learning about the real perpetrators motivated Anshul to join the intelligence agency and take on the code name Bell Bottom.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Raavi's death, establishing the personal stakes that drive Anshul throughout the mission.

• anshul malhotra
• raw agent
• mother death
• hijacking
• bell bottom code name

The hijackers killed Raavi by deliberately withholding her asthma inhaler. This was not a random act but a calculated decision tied to the larger conspiracy. RAW's investigation later uncovered that one of the hijackers deliberately hid the mastermind behind the events, and the withholding of medical aid was part of the terrorists' ruthless strategy to exert pressure during negotiations.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene establishes the brutal tactics of the hijackers, which sets up the personal vendetta element of Anshul's mission.

• raavi death
• hijackers
• inhaler
• asthma
• 1979 hijacking

Anshul used his deductive reasoning to analyze patterns in multiple hijackings. He noticed that Azaadi Dal, a Khalistan group claiming responsibility, was being used as cover while the actual operations benefited Pakistan's ISI. His analysis showed that the group's demands and tactics aligned with Pakistani strategic interests, suggesting state-level involvement rather than an independent separatist movement.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Anshul presents his theory to officials but is dismissed due to the sensitive political climate around Punjab separatism.

• azaadi dal
• isi
• pakistan
• khalistan
• conspiracy theory
• anshul deduction

Indira Gandhi chose Anshul (Bell Bottom) because she was frustrated with the bureaucratic approach to hijackings and believed a skilled operative could anticipate terrorist moves better than officials. Despite many viewing Anshul as merely a clerk, his expertise in hijacking analysis and his track record made him the ideal candidate. She gave him authority to bypass standard procedures and make decisive moves.

Foreshadowing: Gandhi's decision to authorize a covert operation reflects her desperation after years of failed responses to hijackings.

• indira gandhi
• bell bottom
• raw operation
• prime minister
• hijacking response

Anshul refused Pakistan's involvement because he suspected their complicity in the hijackings through the ISI. Allowing Pakistani officials to participate would give them access to sensitive intelligence and potentially compromise the operation. By blocking their negotiating team and refusing refueling, he escalated pressure on Pakistan while maintaining India's control over the crisis.

Foreshadowing: This decision marks a turning point where Anshul takes bold control of the operation against his superiors' wishes.

• pakistan
• negotiating team
• refueling
• anshul strategy
• isi involvement

Anshul used a covert approach with Adeela Rehman as his airport contact. After exposing Adeela's betrayal, he disguised himself and his team as airport workers. They exploited a desert sandstorm as cover to slip onto the airfield, approach the aircraft, and execute their rescue plan. The sandstorm provided the necessary visibility barrier to avoid detection.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Anshul observing Dubai airport operations and planning his covert entry through ground surveillance.

• dubai airport
• sandstorm
• covert entry
• disguise
• rescue operation

Adeela Rehman was revealed to be a Pakistani informant working against the Indian operation. She was secretly in contact with the Pakistani minister and the hijackers, feeding them information about India's tactical moves. Anshul discovered her betrayal through his surveillance and exposed her role, tying her up before proceeding with the rescue.

Foreshadowing: The film hints at Adeela's suspicious behavior during the Dubai meeting, where she seems to be guiding the conversation toward certain outcomes.

• adeela rehman
• traitor
• pakistani informant
• betrayal
• dubai contact

The ending reveals that Anshul's wife Radhika was secretly a RAW informant all along. She had been feeding the agency information about her husband's exceptional abilities, skills, and background from the very beginning of their relationship. This explains how RAW identified Anshul for recruitment and why they had such detailed knowledge of his capabilities.

Foreshadowing: Subtle hints throughout the film show Radhika asking probing questions about Anshul's work and abilities, which now recontextualizes as intelligence gathering.

• radhika malhotra
• raw informant
• ending twist
• wife
• secret identity

During the 1983 London operation, Anshul led a RAW team to arrest hijackers at a residence. They successfully captured three suspects, but Daljeet Singh (also known as Doddy) escaped by disguising himself. His ability to slip away in plain sight allowed him to later reappear as the lead hijacker in the 1984 incident, taking control of the plane in Lahore.

Foreshadowing: This earlier failed operation sets up Doddy as a persistent antagonist who evades justice until the final mission.

• doddy singh
• daljeet singh
• london raid
• escape
• hijacker

The Emir approved the takeoff after Anshul framed the covert rescue operation as consistent with Dubai's humanitarian values. By presenting the method as a necessary action to save hostages while maintaining Dubai's international reputation, Anshul convinced the Emir to grant clearance. The Emir had been reluctant but ultimately prioritized the safe resolution of the crisis.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Dubai's humanitarian reputation as a key diplomatic consideration in the negotiations.

• emir dubai
• takeoff clearance
• humanitarian
• hijacked plane
• diplomacy

Pakistan's ISI was orchestrating the hijackings through proxies. They used Azaadi Dal as a front while actually controlling the operations to create instability in India and extract concessions. The Pakistani minister traveled to Dubai to guide Doddy Singh, demonstrating direct state involvement. The exposure led to public humiliation for ISI and President Zia-ul-Haq when the operation failed.

Foreshadowing: Anshul's initial theory about ISI involvement is confirmed when the Pakistani minister's direct role in the Dubai operation is uncovered.

• isi
• pakistan
• hijackings
• conspiracy
• zia-ul-haq
• terrorist network

After joining RAW, Anshul underwent rigorous training that developed his extraordinary memory and physical capabilities. This training was essential for his role in hijacking analysis, allowing him to remember intricate details of terrorist operations, flight patterns, and suspect identifications. His remarkable memory later helped him piece together the conspiracy connecting multiple hijackings.

Foreshadowing: The training sequence establishes his exceptional abilities, which later enable him to outthink both the hijackers and his own superiors.

• memory training
• raw training
• bell bottom skills
• anshul abilities
• covert operative