Neerja (2016) – Review

This review contains spoilers (if that’s possible for real life events)
Neerja, with Sonam Kapoor in de starring role, tells the dramatised story about the hijacking of Pan Am flight 73 by four armed men. On september 5th 1986 they entered the plane at the airport of Karachi. Their goal was to free prisoners and with 361 passengers on the plane they have the means to get that done. Neerja Bhanot was the purser on this flight and thanks to her actions the number of victims was dramatically lowered. She didn´t survive the events, but this movie gives the viewer a good idea about what she did in this situation. She was the youngest person to receive a prestigious award for bravery posthumously.

The movie doesn’t start out in the airplane, but shows what Neerja’s family life looks like. She is divorced, something which is seen as very negative in India, and lives with her parents, who are very caring. There is a man she likes, but hasn’t made any decision yet to react on his attempts to win her heart. It shows how normal Neerja’s life is and what her connection is with the people around her. She’s a warm, caring and friendly person.
When the terrorists enter the plane the movie doesn’t only show how they handle the situation, but director Ram Madhvani also draws parallels with what Neerja went through during her marriage. She was treated like dirt by her husband are regularly threatened her. Maybe because of that she knows how to act during the hijacking and shows courage, despite the enormous risks of what will happen to everyone if the terrorists find out what she is doing.

 I always have mixed feelings when it comes to dramatizing these types of historic events. Movies are often seen as entertainment and can you call it that when you know that some of the people in the movie didn´t make it out alive? In order for such a movie to succeed, the tone with which it tells its story is very important and luckily the right one has been found here. You never get the sense that Neerja’s actions have been made more heroic than they were. They feel realistic and thanks to an excellent performance by Sonam Kapoor you really care about Neerja. You sense the fear and understand the reason behind her actions, whether that’s protecting a number of children who are travelling alone or making sure that American passengers are not found. Enough time is also spent showing the terrorists story, making it more convincing. These are men who have prepared to reach a specific goal, but who have to improvise once the situation they find themselves in doesn’t go according to plan. And each of these men response differently, creating tension within the group. It makes Neerja a moving drama which feels realistic while showing why Neerja has become so well-known in India through her actions.