Neerja (2016)
Dir. Ram Madhvani.
The other movie that came to my mind while watching Neerja, was Airlift- if only because it belongs to the same decade, and has similar premise of a commonplace character fighting to ensure the survival of his/her community, and ofcourse, aeroplanes. Where Neerja succeeds as a more sincere and truthful effort, is that it highlights and discusses its central character – its motivations to perform as an individual of highest moral order, instead of forcing its protagonist into a larger than life narrative powered majorly by nationalist identity which sacrifices the small details and pleasures of a regular life, in order to make grand but less convincing points.
We see Sonam Kapoor playing the beautiful Neerja Bhanot, (a purser for Pan Am, based in Mumbai, India, who was shot while saving passengers from terrorists on board the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 on 5 September 1986. Posthumously, she became the youngest recipient of India’s highest peacetime military award for bravery, the Ashok Chakra), a role which she decently performs. The narrative combines Neerja’s uneven past, haunted by his abusive ex-husband, with the terrifying hostage situation – and Neerja’s struggle in his past becomes a personal example of sustaining courage during the present situation (which reminded me of Robb Starks’ response to Bran – Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid? That’s the only time he can be brave – a variation of which is the film’s tagline).
Neerja chooses to perform her duties- even that of a purser, an air hostess in laymen terms, with utmost sincerity, that everything else seems small in front it – it’s her call of duty – while employing her wit to prevent as much damage as possible. The film maker too, while indulging in small regular songs and expositional affairs in shaky cameras, still manage to convey the sincerity of the premise, performing their duty – and offer a moving account of the flight, and the situation back at Neerja’s home. It’s Neerja’s mother, played by Shabana Azmi, that concludes this story on a emotional high-note – her speech gets as real and as beautiful as it gets.
Do watch it.
3.5/5
http://neerjabhanot.org/father.htm
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