Neerja is a 2016 biographical thriller about a thwarted 1986 hi-jacking of a commercial airliner and the woman who saved the lives of hundreds.
The story of Neerja Bhanot, played in the film by Sonam Kapoor, is one that too few know and director Ram Madhvani‘s powerful film, Neerja, is at least a step in the right direction in correcting that. Following the 22-year-old air-hostess for Pan Am, who comes to be on Flight 73 traveling from Bombay (now Mumbai) to New York via Karachi, she finds herself at the center of a hi-jacking in 1986, struggling to keep the passengers safe from four armed Libyan-backed Palestinian terrorists of the Abu Nidal Organization. The tense standoff and aftermath make for an already tense drama, but it’s Neerja’s incredible bravery and commitment to those under the gun that keep this so compelling. Sometimes jarringly authentic and always respectful of Neerja, this is a highly-emotional experience that is far too long overdue. You will be moved. Read our full review.
THE LAST WORD
A terrific lead performance and a genuinely impactful story make this a well-made and enlightening look at person we all should know better.
It runs a little long, especially in the end, and has some weaknesses in the script at times, however these are minor in relation to the importance of the subject.