Air India recently unveiled ‘Safety Mudras,’ the new inflight safety video that merges safety guidelines with the colourful diversity of India’s vibrant culture. The video was crafted through a collaborative effort of Prasoon Joshi from McCann Worldgroup, Grammy-winning singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan and film director Bharatbala.
The new inflight safety video blends safety instructions with mudras or dance expressions from eight diverse Indian dance forms – Bharatnatyam, Bihu, Kathak, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Ghoomar, and Giddha. Each dance form showcases a particular safety instruction, offering culturally immersive information to the passengers.
However, Air India’s inflight safety video garnered mixed reactions from netizens. Classical dancer and X user Prathibha Prahlad (@PrathibhaP) commended the inflight safety video for its creativity and meaningful portrayal of Indian dances. She further expressed appreciation for the engaging and artistic messaging of the video.
For centuries, Indian classical dance and folk-art forms have served as medium of storytelling and instruction. Today, they tell another story, that of inflight safety.
Presenting Air India’s new Safety Film, inspired by the rich and diverse dance traditions of India.#FlyAI… pic.twitter.com/b7ULTRuX1Z
— Air India (@airindia) February 23, 2024
Replying to her comment, user Daedalus (@Daedalusflew) noted the omission of crucial safety elements in the video. He emphasised the importance of including all necessary safety information to ensure passengers’ well-being during the flight. “Passengers are not boarding an aeroplane to enjoy a dance performance. The video has omitted a number of safety advisories”, the X user wrote. Other users and aviation experts had similar views, pointing to the lack of emphasis on clearly showing safety procedures in the video and even called the film distracting. Some individuals also questioned whether the video has the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA’s) approval. Users also argued that creativity, art, humour, etc, are required to make in-flight safety films more watchable for passengers and to aid recall, quoting research that shows increased retention value for films that use such devices.
Despite divisions in opinions over the film, many individuals expressed gratitude to Air India for introducing Indian Classical Dance forms and Indian culture to passengers through beautifully portrayed inflight instructions. But they didn’t miss the opportunity to share their grievances about the flying experience with the airline.
X user Rohan Das (@rohandas083) pointed out the lack of cleanliness in flight while Thyaga Rajesh (@thyaga) subtly suggested the airline to spend time & money on improving the service.
User roshannk (@RoushanGog) commented about his experience saying, “I hope you work on the overall experience, including baggage handling, food quality, and seating comfort for flyers. Last night’s travel on Air India was a harrowing experience, including waiting over 90 minutes to retrieve baggage after the flight landed, as well as encountering broken toilet seats and trays.”
Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD of Air India, expressed enthusiasm about the latest inflight safety video, emphasising Air India’s role as a national symbol and supporter of Indian art and culture. He stated that the video serves as a blend of safety instructions and a celebration of India’s cultural richness, aiming to engage travellers worldwide. “Our guests will find this inflight safety video to be more immersive and informative, and a warm welcome to India from the moment they step onboard”, he said.
Initially, the video will be available on Air India’s newly introduced A350 aircraft, which come with inflight entertainment screens. Subsequently, it will be gradually introduced across other aircraft within Air India’s fleet.