NEERJA: - BIG SALUTE TO THIS EPIC GEM. Review on Neerja

NEERJA: - BIG SALUTE TO THE PERSON ITSELF & THE MAKERS OF THIS EPIC GEM

Finally, after almost 39 hours since finishing watching Neerja, I have gathered some strength to write a much needed review of this triumphant epic.

Phew, from where do I begin then? There’s a saying that “Every individual has that something special in him/her & you just need to find it out” but not many can do what Neerja Bhanot did that day.

Life is all about unexpected hindrances that try to hamper our spirit & progress, but it’s the way we fight it out which forms the path of our life in the long run. Fear, selfishness, greed, failure to accept the reality bites has been a part of our life at some point or other, be it knowingly or unknowingly.

We all knew about the tragedy that took place on that flight on 5th September, 1986 & we also knew about the bravery of Neerja Bhanot, but with the passing time, it just became a distant memory as life goes on which is indeed that way life goes about these days. So it was a brilliant decision by the makers to make a movie on Neerja Bhanot as her story deserved our tears & time.

Coming to the movie, it’s an enthralling 122 minute masterpiece which keeps the audience hooked till the end. Movie starts with a small society party at Navjeevan Society where we come to know that Neerja is a big Kaka(late Sir Rajesh Khanna) fan & their Parents call her Laado. Neerja’s father Harish Bhanot(Yogendra Tiku) gives her strength to survive & fight against injustice. Neerja has a beautiful relationship with her mother Rama Bhanot(Shabana Azmi) & had asked her for the yellow salwar kameez as her birthday gift which was due on September 7, 1986.

There was Jaideep(Shekhar Ravjiani) who went to drop Neerja to the Sahar International Airport in Mumbai(then Bombay) from where Neerja would board her 1st flight as the head purser in the Pan Am 73 flight from Bombay to New York via Karachi & Frankfurt.

In the meantime, Palestinian terrorist group from Libya was planning a hijack of this flight from Karachi & take it to Cyprus. Majority of the action unfolds in the Pan Am 73 flight after it reaches Karachi.

The terrorists do enter the flight & fear strikes amongst the passengers & what unfolds after that is the bravery & courage shown by just a 22 year old Neerja. She informs the pilots about it because of which the pilots escape from the flight through the overhead cockpit. This was enough to dampen the spirits of the terrorists.

What follows is a grueling 16 hour battle in the flight at the Karachi airport & the way Neerja kept her cool and tried her best to save the lives of each & every person in the flight be it an Indian, American, British or a Pakistani. Glimpses of her personal life & sad past are also shown over there. Neerja was a model who did a few ads to go with the job of air hostess. She had a troubled marriage & Jaideep would have given her a new ray of hope in life had it not been for the fate that was in store for her.

Neerja does everything to help the passengers & ultimately save them from the blushes of the terrorists & she does a spectacular job. Words won’t do justice to the excellence, bravery & courage of Neerja Bhanot. What transpires is known to one & all but as Raja Sen had written, we so wish that we knew the facts wrong & she could come out alive. Alas….

Direction by Ram Madhvani is awesome & gripping. He has done justice to the story of a real life hero in just the right way. Story by Saiwyn Qadras is just perfect, I was satisfied with what was shown as there was no additional filmy thing added, just proper & actual thing was shown. Also, a huge shout-out for some wonderful dialogues by Sanyukta Shaikh Chawla, especially the last speech of Rama Bhanot.

Cinematography by Mitesh Mirchandani was terrific as the things were captured brilliantly. I loved the editing by Monisha Baldawa, it went at just about the perfect pace with proper timing of the flashback scenes to go with the actual hijack. What makes you a good casting director? It is when you bring about an unknown entity that impresses with his acting along with the other stalwarts. And so, Kanika Berry deserves huge applause for casting Jim Sarbh in the role of a terrorist named Khalil.

Music of VIshal Khurana is good:- Jeete Hai Chal is excellent whereas Aise Kyun Maa & Gehra Ishq are decent.

Coming to the performances, Shabana Azmi is just phenomenal. She portrays her role with sheer class & that last speech will make you cry a lot. There was this scene where Neerja’s father informs Shabana about the hijack & she takes a while to actually realize what has happened:- the acting there was scintillating. Yogendra Tiku is good in what he has to do. Shekhar Sir has had a decent debut with this small role, I liked it. The terrorists acted really well especially Jim Sarbh aka Khalil and Abrar Zahoor.

The conversation that happened in Pakistan early on was a treat to hear given the quality of language used as rightly pointed out by my Dad. I would also like to thank the producers for backing & supporting such a wonderful film.

And now, Sonam Kapoor was destined for this. Rest in peace to the people who have criticized her for all these years unnecessarily & if you still after watching her as Neerja, you need to visit a Dr. for being biased. She deserves all the credit for what she has done here, she was perfect at every point & it felt as if she actually lived the life of Neerja Bhanot in this movie. I heard a clip of an announcement made by Neerja Bhanot on that flight & Sonam has even replicated the dialogues in the same way as Neerja did, splendid effort that. There was fear, courage & strength in her eyes all at the same time, such classy was her performance. There was a scene where Khalil was frisking her & Oh Boy, if you saw the way Sonam acted there, it was incredible. I have loved her acting in Khoobsurat & Ranjhana, liked it in Mausam, I Hate Love Stories & Aisha but this is a career changing & once in a lifetime performance.  Keep up the good work & wish you the best in future Sonam.

Coming to my views, it felt as if Neerja Bhanot was one who had similar likings as there were plenty of them. She loved Kaka, Anand & Amar Prem and I love them all as well. “Zindagi Badi Honi Chahiye, Lambi Nahi Babumoshai” & “Pushpa, Mat Ro Pushpa, I Hate Tears” have all been used here.

From now on, Neerja Bhanot is a big inspiration to me & I will definitely remember her forever. It’s nearly impossible to do what she did at such a young age. It hurts knowing that this is a real story that when 359 out of 379 people were saved, why God would not let Neerja live & get what she truly deserved in life, but then, this is what life is all about.

Phew, it’s been a long review but lot of emotions were involved here & I have cried a lot in this movie & when that happens, you know you’ve been bowled over by its sheer brilliance. While waiting for Dad at exit door, a lady came out & she yelled “Oh, what a horrifying movie that was” & I just said “Yes Mam”.

Neerja is one of the greatest stories ever told in Bollywood & the way it has been made is just perfect. What’s the maximum you can give? 4.5? Ok, I go with 4.5 stars for this masterpiece.

Thanks a lot for giving us Neerja.