Neerja review
Neerja review: This is the Sonam Kapoor we’ve been waiting for
Neerja Bhanot died two days before her 24th birthday. (YouTube)
Neerja
Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku
Director: Ram Madhvani
Rating: 4/5
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 fans.
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. (Lyari is still one of the most dreaded places in the South Asia region.)
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.
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.
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.
The tragic story of Neerja Bhanot, who died while saving the lives of others, is full of tears and heartbreak. What we want to know, going into ‘Neerja’, the film based on the last two days of her 23 years on this earth, is : will it do justice to that pretty young woman with extraordinary courage?
Short answer : yes.
See Pics: Neerja Review In Pics: Sonam Kapoor Carries Off The Demanding Role With ease
Director Ram Madhvani’s long overdue return (where did he go missing all these years, after his terrific debut ‘Let’s Talk’?) to the screen is invested with the urgency and the sense of impending doom which tells us just how those terror-filled hours must have been like for Neerja, who was on that hopping Pan Am flight, New Delhi-Karachi-Frankfurt-New York, celebrating her first time as chief purser.
‘Neerja’ Sonam Kapoor pays tribute to air hostess’, later screens film for them
She would have celebrated her 24th birthday on the 7th of September, 1986. Instead, her bullet-ridden body comes back to her devastated family, mother Rama (Shabana Azmi), father Harish (Tikku), her brothers, and the man who loves her (Shekhar Ravjiani).
Watch audience reaction to Neerja
The film slides swiftly into its stride, taking us back and forth between the early morning of the 5th of September, with Neerja (Sonam Kapoor) getting ready for the flight, with her parents up and gently fussing around her, and a terrorist cell in Karachi, packing guns and grenades and gearing up for the hijacking of the Pan Am jet from Karachi airport.
Disheartened that “Neerja” not releasing in Pakistan: Sonam Kapoor
The atmosphere of dread and violence is created well, for the most part. We see the hijackers brutally put down any hint of resistance. We see the terrified passengers cowering in their seats. We see the crew being cowed into submission, being jabbed repeatedly by AK 47s. And we see the exact moment when Neerja draws upon her memories of being defeated in a past life, and reaching out for steely resilience: most importantly, we see Kapoor do this, believably.
Listen: Neerja’s last flight announcement before Pan Am Flight 73 got hijacked
The question was always going to be, can Kapoor, who has always played itty-bitty ditsy roles before (with patchy results in a string of others), carry off that demanding role?
Short answer again : yes.
Sonam Kapoor fumbles in a couple of initial phases, where we find a blankness rather than terror on her face. But those are only momentary. Then she locks onto the correct tone, and we get the whole complement of feelings flit across her face – from shaking with fear to finding a place of strength. Kapoor makes us believe she is, was, Neerja.
And that takes us past the few places which slacken. The lead terrorist is given a couple of ultra-histrionic moments. The end threatens to become too maudlin. There’s a completely superfluous song bunged right into the middle of it all : yes, we know it’s a flashback, but a song in a film like this? Can Bollywood ever get rid of this mistrust of its audience ? This is a film which needs to be as taut as a drum. Why hamstring it with a song?
Minus the songs and the excessive schmaltz, ‘Neerja’ could have been outstanding. But still, the film holds, and hold us with it. Both Shabana Azmi and Tikku, as the parents hoping for the best and dreading the worst for their ‘Laado’ (Neerja’s ‘pet name’), are excellent. They shine a light on the tragically-cut-short life of their daughter, a true inspirational heroine whose deeds need more than a memorial. They need to be remembered.
I came out of the theatre, wet-eyed.
Neerja star cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tikku, Shekhar Ravjiani
Director: Ram Madhvani
Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku
Director: Ram Madhvani
Rating: 4/5
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.
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. (Lyari is still one of the most dreaded places in the South Asia region.)
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.
Watch | Neerja movie review
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.
Neerja Bhanot was the Chief Purser of Pan Am Flight 73.
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.
Watch: Sonam Kapoor in Neerja trailer
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.Listen: The real voice of Neerja Bhanot
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.Sonam Kapoor makes us believe she is, was, Neerja
Neerja movie review: Sonam Kapoor fumbles in a couple of initial
phases, where we find a blankness rather than terror on her face. But
those are only momentary. Then she locks onto the correct tone, and we
get the whole complement of feelings flit across her face – from shaking
with fear to finding a place of strength. Kapoor makes us believe she
is, was, Neerja.
The tragic story of Neerja Bhanot, who died while saving the lives of others, is full of tears and heartbreak. What we want to know, going into ‘Neerja’, the film based on the last two days of her 23 years on this earth, is : will it do justice to that pretty young woman with extraordinary courage?
Short answer : yes.
See Pics: Neerja Review In Pics: Sonam Kapoor Carries Off The Demanding Role With ease
Director Ram Madhvani’s long overdue return (where did he go missing all these years, after his terrific debut ‘Let’s Talk’?) to the screen is invested with the urgency and the sense of impending doom which tells us just how those terror-filled hours must have been like for Neerja, who was on that hopping Pan Am flight, New Delhi-Karachi-Frankfurt-New York, celebrating her first time as chief purser.
‘Neerja’ Sonam Kapoor pays tribute to air hostess’, later screens film for them
She would have celebrated her 24th birthday on the 7th of September, 1986. Instead, her bullet-ridden body comes back to her devastated family, mother Rama (Shabana Azmi), father Harish (Tikku), her brothers, and the man who loves her (Shekhar Ravjiani).
Watch audience reaction to Neerja
The film slides swiftly into its stride, taking us back and forth between the early morning of the 5th of September, with Neerja (Sonam Kapoor) getting ready for the flight, with her parents up and gently fussing around her, and a terrorist cell in Karachi, packing guns and grenades and gearing up for the hijacking of the Pan Am jet from Karachi airport.
Disheartened that “Neerja” not releasing in Pakistan: Sonam Kapoor
The atmosphere of dread and violence is created well, for the most part. We see the hijackers brutally put down any hint of resistance. We see the terrified passengers cowering in their seats. We see the crew being cowed into submission, being jabbed repeatedly by AK 47s. And we see the exact moment when Neerja draws upon her memories of being defeated in a past life, and reaching out for steely resilience: most importantly, we see Kapoor do this, believably.
Listen: Neerja’s last flight announcement before Pan Am Flight 73 got hijacked
The question was always going to be, can Kapoor, who has always played itty-bitty ditsy roles before (with patchy results in a string of others), carry off that demanding role?
Short answer again : yes.
Sonam Kapoor fumbles in a couple of initial phases, where we find a blankness rather than terror on her face. But those are only momentary. Then she locks onto the correct tone, and we get the whole complement of feelings flit across her face – from shaking with fear to finding a place of strength. Kapoor makes us believe she is, was, Neerja.
And that takes us past the few places which slacken. The lead terrorist is given a couple of ultra-histrionic moments. The end threatens to become too maudlin. There’s a completely superfluous song bunged right into the middle of it all : yes, we know it’s a flashback, but a song in a film like this? Can Bollywood ever get rid of this mistrust of its audience ? This is a film which needs to be as taut as a drum. Why hamstring it with a song?
Minus the songs and the excessive schmaltz, ‘Neerja’ could have been outstanding. But still, the film holds, and hold us with it. Both Shabana Azmi and Tikku, as the parents hoping for the best and dreading the worst for their ‘Laado’ (Neerja’s ‘pet name’), are excellent. They shine a light on the tragically-cut-short life of their daughter, a true inspirational heroine whose deeds need more than a memorial. They need to be remembered.
I came out of the theatre, wet-eyed.
Neerja star cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tikku, Shekhar Ravjiani
Director: Ram Madhvani
Neerja review
![Neerja review]()
Reviewed by Unknown
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23:04:00
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