Fighter

In the midst of a simmering cauldron of terrorism, Maqsood Abrar (Mushtaq Kak), a seasoned operative from Jaish-E-Mohammed, convenes with the high-ranking officials of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Their collective concern is India's successful containment of Kashmiri extremism and the subsequent dismantling of years-long efforts to cultivate a network of young, fervent Jihadi warriors willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Kashmiri liberation.

Meanwhile, Majeed Khan (Sanjeev Jaiswal) serves as Maqsood's trusted lieutenant, overseeing logistical operations in Kashmir. In the city of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, a terrorist organization led by Azhar Akhtar (Rishabh Sawhney) plots to strike at India's vital installations. Azhar, an experienced operative with a reputation for orchestrating high-profile attacks against Indian interests, such as the bombing of Mazir-I-Sharif and strikes against the Indian Embassy in Kabul, has devised a cunning plan to utilize Indian children in the mission, thereby ensuring that any Pakistani involvement remains undetectable.

As India's air force base at Srinagar Air Force Station faces this existential threat, Group Captain Rakesh "Rocky" Jai Singh (Anil Kapoor) is assigned to lead the counter-terrorist effort. He assembles a team of elite fighter pilots, dubbed the "Air Dragons," comprising Squadron Leaders Shamsher "Patty" Pathania (Hrithik Roshan), Minal "Minni" Rathore (Deepika Padukone), Sartaj "Taj" Gill (Karan Singh Grover), Basheer "Bash" Khan (Akshay Oberoi), Squadron Leader Rajan "Unni" Unnithan (Mahesh Shetty), and Sukhdeep "Sukhi" Singh (Baveen Singh).

Saanchi (Sanjeeda Sheikh) serves as Taj's devoted wife, while Minni and Sukhi are integral members of the helicopter squadron attached to the unit. Wing Commander Harish "Nauty" Nautiyal (Chandan K Anand) functions as Rocky's trusted second-in-command.

During an intense training exercise, the team is tasked with executing a scenario in which Minni and Sukhi must infiltrate enemy territory, drop off a commando team, and extract them within a 15-minute window. Taj and Patty are responsible for providing air cover, while Rocky and Nauty will attempt to penetrate this defense and take out the helicopters.

In a calculated move, Rocky lures Patty away from the choppers, leaving Taj to face Nauty alone. Despite Patty's valiant efforts to "kill" Rocky using the cobra maneuver, she ultimately fails in her mission as Nauty manages to breach the air cover and target the helicopters. Rocky is left seething with frustration towards Patty, who has inadvertently put the entire operation at risk.

As the team members bond during their training exercises, Minni begins to develop romantic feelings for Patty. This newfound affection is met with skepticism by Minni's father, Abhijeet (Ashutosh Rana), who had initially disapproved of his daughter's decision to pursue a career in the Air Force, instead advocating for her to complete her education and marry. Patty's father (Talat Aziz) resides in Jammu, adding an additional layer of complexity to their burgeoning relationship.

As the weight of his troubled past bears down on him, Patty (character) grapples with the memory of his late fiancée, a chopper pilot who met her untimely demise during a previous mission. Meanwhile, Azhar's sinister plans unfold as he smuggles 200 kilograms of RDX into Srinagar through Majeed, a ploy that ultimately backfires when the forces seize the contraband. However, this minor setback is merely a precursor to Azhar's true intention: smuggling an even larger cache of explosive material into Kashmir.

The Pakistani air force takes a menacing step forward by deploying two F-16 squadrons near Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, accompanied by their elite pilots, including the formidable Red Nose. The stakes escalate when the team learns of a devastating attack on CRPF soldiers in Pulwama, orchestrated by Akhtar, resulting in the loss of 70 lives and injuries to 80 others.

In response to this heinous act, the Indian Air Force, in conjunction with RAW agent Zarina Begum (Chandra Shekhar Dutta), concocts a counterattack on Akhtar's stronghold in Balakot. Patty is dispatched to Delhi alongside Air Commodore Debyajyoti "Debu" Biswas (Vinay Varma) to devise the strike plan. Pakistan, anticipating an Uri-style attack, prepares to repel it with equal ferocity.

Patty presents a bold plan to target Jabba Top near Balakot, an explosives training center for Jaish-E-Mohammad where 300 terrorists are being trained under Azhar's guidance. The mission is set in motion from the Gwalior air base, with all Srinagar bases remaining inactive. The date of the operation is February 25th, when the Prime Minister will be on a jungle safari and senior IAF officers will be attending the farewell party for the Chief of the Air Staff (Gurmeet Chawla). The attack will involve 12 Mirage and 2 Sukhoi aircraft.

Despite achieving success in the mission, the aftermath sets off a chain reaction of conflict between India and Pakistan. Azhar miraculously survives the attack, while one F-16 manages to get airborne and locks onto the two Sukhoi aircraft. Red Nose, piloting the F-16, gains a missile lock on Taj but is forced to disengage by Patty's cunning tactics.

The Pakistani Air Force retaliates with a wave of attacks on Indian bases in response. As tensions escalate, Patty, Taj, and Bash (character) disobey orders and cross the Indo-Pakistan border. Taj and Bash's plane is shot down by Pakistani pilots led by Red Nose, leaving them stranded and captured. Patty becomes separated from his comrades while chasing a bandit and arrives too late to rescue them.

Red Nose taunts Patty, reminding him of his inability to save Naina in the past and now losing Taj as well. Patty returns to India in his Sukhoi, haunted by the memories of his fallen friends and the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Patty's suspension from the Air Dragons proves a turning point in his career, as he finds himself reassigned to the esteemed Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, where he assumes the role of flying instructor. Amidst this new chapter, Patty confides in Minni about Rocky's long-standing grudge against him, rooted in the tragic loss of Naina Jai Singh (Seerat Mast), Rocky's younger sister and a fearless pilot. According to Rocky, Patty's negligence during a perilous rescue mission led to Naina's demise, as Indian commandos were pinned down by enemy artillery fire. Despite Patty's cover flying operations, he failed to pinpoint the exact location of the enemy artillery, leading to a shell striking Naina's chopper and her ultimate demise.

As Patty navigates his new role at the academy, he earns the respect of trainee pilot Neha, who finds herself in a precarious situation during her first solo flight in strong cross winds. Patty's expert guidance enables her safe landing, but this act of heroism only serves to further disillusion him with his life and ultimately prompts his decision to quit the forces. His commanding officer, however, grants Patty leave to reconsider his choice.

Patty returns home to Jammu, where he reconnects with old colleagues at the base. Meanwhile, a shocking revelation rocks the team: the Pakistani government announces its intention to escort Taj and Bash safely back to India, but Sukhi's ominous warning reveals that Bash has been brutally murdered by Akhtar and Taj is being held captive.

The truth behind Zarina Begum's treachery slowly unfolds as she is exposed as a double agent who had betrayed India. Her betrayal is revealed when she informs Azhar about the Indian forces' planned attack on their base, allowing Pakistan to shut down its air space and mobilize its air assets to prevent the IAF from entering Pakistani airspace.

Driven by a fierce determination to rescue Taj, Patty defies orders and joins a covert mission. An IL-76 transport plane, carrying a team of commandos, is dispatched to Azhar's base. The aircraft also conceals two Sukhoi fighters, which cleverly utilize the IL-76's radar cross section to infiltrate Pakistani airspace undetected.

As Pakistan scrambles its fighter jets in response, the Sukhois destroy the runways at Kotli and Rawalakot, rendering them incapable of taking off. In a stunning twist, Zarina's true allegiance is revealed: she is, in fact, an Indian agent, deliberately misleading Azhar throughout. As a result, Indian commandos reach Azhar's base far ahead of schedule, setting the stage for a thrilling rescue operation.

As the commandos successfully extract Taj, Minni descends from the skies in her helicopter to reunite with them. However, Sukhi's aerial escort is not so fortunate, as Azhar's treacherous gunfire brings it crashing down to earth. Meanwhile, a sudden arrival on the scene by Red Nose sees one of their own Sukhoi jets meet its demise. In response, Minni receives orders to return and mount a daring rescue mission for her beleaguered comrades.

With an airframe in reserve, Patty clamors into the cockpit and requests clearance to take to the skies. Rocky, cognizant of India's pressing need for Patty's exceptional piloting skills, grants his permission. Joining forces with Patty, they embark on a perilous journey deep behind enemy lines to recover their fallen comrades.

Patty unleashes her aerial prowess, engaging and defeating every Pakistani fighter jet in her path, including the formidable Red Nose. Meanwhile, Rocky provides a protective umbrella of air cover for the commandos operating on the ground. In a daring maneuver, Patty ultimately eliminates Red Nose by ramming his plane into an F-16, then makes a triumphant escape via parachute.

Next, Patty navigates to Azhar's stronghold, where she successfully rescues Taj from harm's way. With Sukhi's life hanging in the balance, Patty intervenes once more, saving her comrade and dispatching Akhtar in the process. As Minni circles back around to gather up all survivors, the two women reunite, their bond strengthened by the shared experience of victory.

In the end, Minni and Patty share a heartfelt embrace, basking in the glow of their triumphant success against overwhelming odds.