The Last Salute Review
Director: Kushal Srivastava
Date Created: 2026-08-26 21:07
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The Last Salute Review: Directed by former Air Force officer Kushal Srivastava and produced by Matchbox Shots, The Last Salute: A Love Letter to MiG-21 is an hour-and-19-minute Hindi Netflix documentary film that gathers together various Indian Air Force pilots to commemorate one of the most recognisable fighter jets of their country. While most documentaries are told by a voiceover explaining the history behind a subject, this documentary takes the unconventional route of allowing those pilots who have flown the MiG-21 to tell the tale themselves. These pilots include former Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Air Commodore S.S. Tyagi and Squadron Leader Priya Sharma.
The Last Salute Review
Netflix’s The Last Salute cannot be considered a traditional documentary on a fighter plane because, although there are several discussions related to the MiG-21’s design and the history of its service, the true focus of the documentary lies in the bond that was formed between the aircraft and the pilots who flew it. The documentary is based on the final period of the aircraft’s service, which leads to its retirement on September 26, 2025, at the very station where it started its service in the IAF in 1963.
It was particularly impressive how the Netflix documentary The Last Salute managed to illustrate the paradoxical nature of the legacy of the MiG-21. On the one hand, it was a plane that was loved by its pilots and on the other hand, it became associated with fear and tragedy for the general public. Being dubbed a “flying coffin” was well deserved in the case of this plane. The documentary recognises the numerous accidents of this aeroplane but at the same time gives former officers a chance to contradict the opinion that it was dangerous.
The most interesting parts are those in which the pilots explain what it really took for them to fly the MiG-21. The aircraft is not presented as something that gracefully accepted the pilot. On the contrary, the pilot needed to know the machine thoroughly and be on the same level with it. This point turns out to become one of the central themes of the documentary.
Moreover, Netflix’s The Last Salute documentary also pays due attention to the problem of controversy related to the safety record of the aircraft in question, which makes me think that The Last Salute is not as simple as the film’s title implies. Thus, the former Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa makes a justification of the MiG-21, referring to his own experience of piloting, claiming that the statistics should be compared to those of other aeroplanes, rather than being understood in a stand-alone way. Also, some other pilots mention their survival experiences because of training and fast decisions.
However, the documentary does not deny the fact that hundreds of MiG-21s were lost during the six decades of the aeroplane’s service in India. The MiG-21 belongs not only to the pilots. There was always a family who waited for someone to come back. There is one interesting thought in the documentary: the idea that the story is not only about the man who sits in the cockpit, but also about those who support him there. It is also quite a bittersweet feeling to see pilots talk about an aeroplane which obviously holds a lot of love in their hearts, even though it has long since been out of operation.
Some of these pilots even go ahead to say that they wish to continue flying that plane. The sadness here is not dramatised in any way but rather the genuine result of letting go of something which has been an essential part of their professional life. In September 2025, when the last squadrons will be retired, the documentary becomes history.
However, I do believe that The Last Salute documentary film could have been a little bit more objective. It is clear that it has some strong affection towards the MiG-21, and there are moments when it seems that the romantic approach is going to make the audience forget about the not-so-pretty side of the life of this aeroplane. The accident history of the aeroplane is discussed in the movie, but there should be more discussion of the institutional, technical, and historical background of these accidents.
However, I don’t believe that The Last Salute is meant to be a forensic analysis of all MiG-21 crashes. The objective of the film is more geared towards preserving the memories of an aircraft which has been used in the Indian Air Force for over sixty years now. The last flight of the aircraft and the ceremonial farewell have thus gained importance since, at this stage, the aircraft is no longer just a part of military history but an embodiment of a whole generation of pilots.
Netflix The Last Salute Review: Summing Up
All things considered, The Last Salute is an excellent documentary, especially considering that it allows the pilots to talk about their fears, their pride, their skills, their sacrifices and their affection for the plane rather than just listing facts and accomplishments. I was left with the feeling that the legacy of the MiG-21 could not be summed up by either of its victories or its crashes, but that it was a plane that had taken a great deal out of the people flying it.
