Neerja: A fine Hindi film
Had the opportunity to see a splendid Hindi film: Neerja.
It is based on the actual incident of a hijack of a Pan Am aircraft back in 1986, and the exemplary heroism displayed by the eponymous character, Neerja, airhostess of the same flight. While the story is stuff that modern legends are made of, the way it has been re-created on screen deserves special mention.
The director avoids any overt attempts to invoke sentimentalism or melodrama. In a quiet, realistic way, he shows how an ordinary fight purser turns into a model of courage in the face of fire.
Neerja is no swashbuckling hero, she is an ordinary girl recovering from a traumatic past and looking forward to a bright future. A happy-go-lucky person, her metamorphosis into a rock of grit and bravery is what the film focuses on. The film uses flashbacks to show glimpses of her happy childhood and consequently, her troubled marriage, and juxtaposes these images with those of the gun-toting, brutal, abusive terrorists. We get to know where her unbelievable grit comes from. She is like you and me, only she draws inspiration from her rock-solid values and ethics to save other people from sure death. And in the process, loses her own life.
The film manages to show the real Neerja's heroic spirit and the sense of duty she had when she protected her passengers and shielded them from harm. Never once does she think about her own safety. The film shows how she makes the passengers' safety her only priority. You can only marvel at such selflessness.
The acting is above par, with the lead actress Sonam Kapoor finally coming out of her giggly girl-next-door image and displaying some acting chops. She internalizes the pain and determination of the eponymous character. The supporting actors playing her father, the terrorists, and her fiance are equally good. Shabana Azmi as the heartbroken mother excels as usual.
In keeping a tight grip on the editing and cinematography, the director displays maturity and sense. Nowhere does he allow maudlin sentimentality to take over. The terror unleashed by the hijackers feels real and the resultant tension and panic can almost be touched. Close shots and tight camera movements build up the atmosphere of tension and claustrophobia.
At the end of everything, what the film achieves is in instilling admiration in the hearts of viewers, for the protagonist and a heartfelt homage to her outstanding courage. She is indeed a hero worth emulating.
It is based on the actual incident of a hijack of a Pan Am aircraft back in 1986, and the exemplary heroism displayed by the eponymous character, Neerja, airhostess of the same flight. While the story is stuff that modern legends are made of, the way it has been re-created on screen deserves special mention.
The director avoids any overt attempts to invoke sentimentalism or melodrama. In a quiet, realistic way, he shows how an ordinary fight purser turns into a model of courage in the face of fire.
Neerja is no swashbuckling hero, she is an ordinary girl recovering from a traumatic past and looking forward to a bright future. A happy-go-lucky person, her metamorphosis into a rock of grit and bravery is what the film focuses on. The film uses flashbacks to show glimpses of her happy childhood and consequently, her troubled marriage, and juxtaposes these images with those of the gun-toting, brutal, abusive terrorists. We get to know where her unbelievable grit comes from. She is like you and me, only she draws inspiration from her rock-solid values and ethics to save other people from sure death. And in the process, loses her own life.
The film manages to show the real Neerja's heroic spirit and the sense of duty she had when she protected her passengers and shielded them from harm. Never once does she think about her own safety. The film shows how she makes the passengers' safety her only priority. You can only marvel at such selflessness.
The acting is above par, with the lead actress Sonam Kapoor finally coming out of her giggly girl-next-door image and displaying some acting chops. She internalizes the pain and determination of the eponymous character. The supporting actors playing her father, the terrorists, and her fiance are equally good. Shabana Azmi as the heartbroken mother excels as usual.
In keeping a tight grip on the editing and cinematography, the director displays maturity and sense. Nowhere does he allow maudlin sentimentality to take over. The terror unleashed by the hijackers feels real and the resultant tension and panic can almost be touched. Close shots and tight camera movements build up the atmosphere of tension and claustrophobia.
At the end of everything, what the film achieves is in instilling admiration in the hearts of viewers, for the protagonist and a heartfelt homage to her outstanding courage. She is indeed a hero worth emulating.
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