Sher Dil (2019)
‘Sher Dil,’ which translates to ‘Lion Heart’ in English, is a 2019 Pakistani action film that follows the journey of a young man named Haris Mustafa from an ordinary cadet to an exceptional Pakistan Air Force pilot. I recently watched this film and was particularly entertained by the dogfight scenes. I definitely want to share these scenes with you guys.
Two Indian Mirage-2000s invade Pakistani airspace. Haris and his wingman, Irfan, immediately take off in their JF-17 Thunders to carry out the interception mission. Upon spotting their approach, the two Mirage-2000s split up, leading Haris and Irfan to pursue them separately. Haris manages to get behind the first Mirage-2000 and opens fire. The Indian pilot attempts to avoid being hit by rocking from side to side but ultimately is not able to escape. Haris fires a missile, turning the Indian aircraft into debris. However, due to the close distance, fragments from the missile enter the JF-17’s engine, sending Haris’s aircraft into a rapid descent. In a critical moment, Haris quickly shuts down all power and manually restarts the aircraft, restoring the engine function.
The chase isn’t over as Haris sets his sights on the second Mirage-2000, piloted by Arun, an Indian pilot and his former classmate from the International Flight School. Haris and Arun ascend sharply, pushing the limits of their aircrafts. The Mirage 2000 reaches its flight altitude limit first and has no choice but to dive down in an attempt to shake off Haris. Haris continues the chase, and just as he is about to fire from behind, the Mirage-2000 attempts a sudden vertical climb, almost causing Haris to crash into a mountain. However, with the superior capabilities of the JF-17 Thunder, Haris also performs a vertical ascent from the valley, masterfully avoiding disaster. At this point, the Mirage-2000 has already retreated across the border back into India.
Just as Haris and his wingman, Irfan, are about to return to base, Indian aircrafts reappear, unexpectedly launching missiles. To avoid being hit, Haris drops the external fuel tanks to lure the Infrared-guided missile away from the aircraft itself, and he succeeds.
Another missile is heading towards Haris, prompting him to employ a bold strategy: He instructs Irfan to lure one of the Indian aircraft closer, while Haris advances from the opposite direction towards his wingman. Moments before a near-collision, they veer sideways, dodging each other. This maneuver causes the missile pursuing Haris to hit the Indian aircraft that was tailing Irfan. (Hmm…I wonder if such a scenario is feasible in the real world.)
Just then, Haris finds Arun flying towards him. Initially, Haris urges Arun to disengage, but Arun, relentless and unforgiving, begins his pursuit from behind, readying for an attack. Reacting swiftly, Haris climbs and vanishes into the clouds. When Arun finally breaks free from the cloud cover, he’s shocked to find Haris already positioned behind him. Haris presses the missile launch button, successfully taking down Arun’s Mirage 2000.
