Movie Review: Neerja
Movie Review: ‘Neerja’
Rating: 4/5
Director: Ram Madhvani
Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Ravjiani
We know Neerja Bhanot’s story, but are curious nevertheless to see how it unfolds on the silver screen.
Will the director go in for over-dramatic scenes in the name of ‘creative liberty’? Or, are we going to witness a film that is too ‘filmy’ to be inspired by ‘real events’?
Perhaps the brickbats Airlift faced prompted the filmmakers to flash a disclaimer at the start: The film is not a biography or a documentary on the brave Pan Am air hostess. For a second, it almost seems like a warning.
But minutes into the film, all doubts are swept away. The movie is likely to be memorable for most, especially for Sonam Kapoor The film is set on September 5, 1986, when the ill fated Pan Am Flight 73 takes off from then-Bombay. Neerja Bhanot, flying as chief purser for the first time, is readying for her morning flight while four terrorists affiliated to Palestine’s Abu Nidal Organisation are offering their last prayer in Lyari, Karachi.
The terrorists manage to board the flight with their ammunition, but the full extent of their plan is reduced when Neerja alerts the pilots, who run away. The real trouble then becomes the boarding zone where 360 passengers are left at the mercy of some trigger happy cynics.
Here is where an ordinary model-turned-air hostess rises to the occasion and the rest is history. Neerja shows Madhvani’s meticulous planning as a director, even though it tilts in favour of some melodrama. The film arrives straight to the point and starts building a tension that remains with the audience till the end. Parallel narratives between Mumbai and Karachi bring out the conflict that ensues, and you subconsciously begin rooting for Neerja.
Madhvani adds personality to Neerja through her family: Her mother Rama (Shabana Azmi), father Harish (Yogendra Tiku) and two brothers absolutely adore Neerja and her zest for life. She is shown as a well adjusted happy person, but little do we know that Neerja carries a past that tugs at the heart. Madhvani shows his craft at this juncture, portraying a vulnerable heroine with a composed exterior.
Here, the power of a good script is also evident.
At 122-minutes, the film stretches towards the end, but you are helplessly ensnared in its magic. There are a few surprises in the film; Neerja loves Rajesh Khanna, so does her family, and this star-fan connection becomes a defining moment in the film.
It’s an effectively narrated story that we all know, for why else will you look forward to unraveling a plot that has been widely documented. It makes you rise and salute Neerja, the extraordinary story of an ordinary person.
And, who could sum it up better than her favourite star Kaka: Zindagi lambi nahi badi honiye chahiye babu moshay (Anand, 1971). In these times of misinterpreted jingoism, Neerja teaches us the real meaning of standing tall.
Neerja is a milestone in Sonam Kapoor’s career. Not just because it’s a good film, but because she carries it entirely on her shoulder. She looks earnest, scared, benevolent and bold, all at the same time.
You should see her in the scene where a terrorist frisks her: She aces it with a panache seldom seen in Bollywood. Shabana Azmi is very impressive as Neerja’s mother, her grip over emotional scenes are very visible. The other person who deserves applause is Yogendra Tiku who plays Neerja’s father. The emotions reflect so swiftly on his face that you can see your dear one there.
Such films where the filmmakers need to work in the same time and space zone are difficult to execute, but you’ll be surprised at the finesse with which Madhvani has shown most sides of Neerja’s personality. She falls, rises, falls again and rises again, until she emerges as that one name which will be associated with Pan Am Flight 73 forever.
