Air India released an over 4-minute in-flight safety film that has garnered over 1 million views on social media platform X. The video deploys Indian storytelling in the form of various dance forms to instruct passengers on the dos and don’ts of air travel.
In the Air India in-flight safety video, an Odissi dancer shows how to adjust your seat and tray on an airplane. (Photo credit: Screenshot/ X/ @airindia)
New Delhi: Tata Group airline Air India dropped its in-flight safety video on social media on Friday and it has gone viral since with over 1 million views on X. Air India consciously employs Indian dance forms to “serve the medium of storytelling and instruction” to tell the story of in-flight safety in the viral 4-minute clip.
The film is “inspired by the rich and diverse dance traditions of India,” Air India said in its post on X.
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
The video opens with an air hostess asking passnegers to pay attention to the safety instructions while adding trhat the equipment on the aircraft may differ from other jets. Simultaneously, a giel in the video finds a books with a golden frame, resembling the Air India vista, part of its new livery and logo. The video is then seen from the girl’s perspective as she seems to have been transported into a live action safety instructions video in which she sees dancers in mudras from different Indian dance forms.
Dance forms showcased in Air India in-flight safety film
Bharatnatyam
The video shows a Bharatnatyam danseuse indicating to passengers how to fasten and unfasten their seatbelt. She shows them how to stow away cabin baggage into the overhead compartment or underneath the seats.
Odissi
An Odissi dancer on a beach, most likely in Odisha, shows passengers how to keep their seats upright, shades up and tray tables closed during take-off and landing.
Kathakali and Mohiniattam
In a jugalbandi, the Kathakali dancer shows how large electronic devices are not allowed during takeoff and landing.
Smoking and e-cigarette ban is conveyed by the Kathakali exponent while the Mohiniattam dancers convey that there are curbs on tampering with lavatory smoke detectors in their inimitable mudras.
Kathak
A Kathak danseuse informs passengers about the 8 emergency exits on the aircraft and suggests them to use the one closest to them in case of an emergency.
They also show how to use oxygen mask in case of loss of cabin pressure.
Ghoomar
A Rajasthani Ghoomar dancer shows passengers how to locate the exit using emergency lighting.
Bihu
Bihu dancers from Assam show passengers where to locate and how to use life vests in an emergency, especially a water landing.
Giddha
A group of women in traditional Punjabi attire ask passengers to read the safety instruction card placed in the seat pocket to read more details.
The video concludes with the airhostess thanking the passengers for flying Air India followed by the Bharatnatyam danseuse closing the ad with a namaskar mudra.
