Neerja

NEERJA: This is a Masterpiece, a movie that's going to be kept in the league of classics. It seldom happens that a Director achieves such a finesse in his first major project but Ram Madhvani, who has been directing award winning commercials for over twenty years, defies all conventions giving us an amazing experience that reminds us of the types of Dark Knight. The best thing Ram did is to keep the dialogs in each characters' native language that gives it a feel of real time cinema. The background music creates an ambiance of tension making you feel traveling in the same plane that got hijacked in Karachi in 1986. The cinematography is so real as if you are watching the events happen live. The dark shades ensure that colors don't snatch away the tense mood throughout. The sets, the interiors, the costumes, the make up are so real to recreate the time when this event happened. And above all, it is powerful performances by everyone in the frame that keeps you holding your breathe, that keeps you getting lumps in your throat, that makes your heart beat fast and at some times makes your eyes wet. Sonam Kapoor has unexpectedly given her not only career best performance but also one of the best Bollywood has witnessed over the years. Her body language, costumes, make up, expressions, and slang all look perfectly aligned with what could be expected out of the protagonist. Shabnana Azmi as her mother nails it down with her speech in the end. She proves that art is age defiant and she still can give audience the goosebumps. And the character that despite carrying no stardom yet succeeded to leave a strong impression on my mind is that of the anger dominated terrorist who reminded me about the Joker in The Dark Knight. His intense performance really deserves an applause for it is he who succeeds in making audience feel the terror the victims might have felt in reality. Too good a movie with perfection delivered in every aspect. No way it could have been even a little better than what it is. This one is going to stay a long time in my mind. DEFINITELY A MOVIE NOT TO BE MISSED FOR ANY REASON. RATING 10/10

Novice director Ram Madhvani has given emotional tribute to Indian daughter. Script was really brilliant. Good to see the inclusion of dialogues of KAKA's filmography like Zindgi badi(Big) honi chhaiye, Lambi nahi. Great narration of story using flashbacks. Performance wise this movie has the best performance of Sonam. Great contribution of Shabana as mother of Neerja. She was terrific through the cinema. Yogendra and Shekhar were good in small role. Jim Sarbh surprised the audience with role of eccentric terrorist. Neerja shown another dimension for Bollywood. This genre of cinema must need support from audience to survive and spread blossom across the world.

Without being a fan, I've seen some Bollywood films in the past few months. Not bad at all. But, this is by far the best of them. And, most difficult to achieve as a genre, thriller with a big plane hijack. True story. Very touching. I almost cried. And I'm not a guy who cries easily. Bollywood filmmakers are experts in tearjerker stories and they have a long tradition in melodrama(remember Raj Kapoor?) But, this is not, as usual, a fiction story, this is truth, it happened for real in 1986. Sonam Kapoor is very good in the title role, Neerja Bhanot, the heroine of the Pan Am flight 73. Then the actors interpreting the terrorists, they are all very natural and convincing, you feel like living that hijack, assisting those real terrorists in full action in front of you. Shabana Azmi, impressive as the mother of Neerja. There have been many movies, most of them made in USA, with the same subject, airplane hijacking: "Ransom" (1975), "Raid on Entebbe" (1977), "Airport" 77 "(1977), "Passenger 57 "(1992), " Con Air "(1997), " Air Force One "(1997), to name just a few. This one is better than all. It made me think also at "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet. Last but not least, Jim Sarbh, the actor who plays the terrorist Khalil, not only physically resembles very well Gian Maria Volonté in "For a Few Dollars More" (1965), but has something of his style of acting and his personality. One last thing, the real Neerja Bhanot, who gave her life to save 359 passengers, was also a model and, except for her inner beauty, was of a great outer beauty.

It doesn't always happen in bollywood that a movie stays right on track till the very end. Usually, the ill-fitted humor or obtruded songs take the starch out of the story line. I found that problem with airlift!

But this movie is almost free from all such distractions and the director has been very disciplined. Shabana Aazmi has stolen the show with her immaculate acting. I was quite skeptical about Sonam Kapoor's acting capabilities in a movie backed by such a strong script, but thankfully no emotional scenes have been imposed on her and her aptness has been used very smartly by the director!

'Aisa Kyun Maa' song is quite emotional and beautifully spun into the fabric of the movie.

Life has to be bigger not longer! The film, Neerja is a portrayal on the life of the courageous Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while protecting the lives of 359 passengers in 1986. The flight was hijacked by a terrorist organization in Karachi. How she bravely handled the situation is what the film has been made on.

Director is the real hero of this movie. Ram Madhvani describes every part, every scene of the film very wonderfully. Along with the writers, he is not giving outside of the track and thus, this film is a gem of 2016! Shabana Azmi has done a fantabulous job in the character of Neerja's mother. Though, she has not much dialogues, but her expressions show her emotions, and they are very real that everyone was crying literally. When she gave a speech on Neerja in the end, I was not able to control my emotions. Tears were flowing continuously. She will be the winner of best supporting actress in the major award ceremony undoubtedly.

Sonam Kapoor has given career best performance. She could've been portrayed her well. But, whatever she has given is acceptable. Yogendra Tikku as Neerja's father and Shekhar as Neerja's friend are good and suitable. The man who portrayed Khalil, the angriest terrorist, has done a fantastic job. He looks like a pure terrorist. Others are good, too.

Music is given by Vishal Khurana and lyrics has been penned by Prasoon Joshi. All the songs are listenable again and again. Background score is also suitable and helps to build the terror as well as the excitement.

Connection with Rajesh Khanna, Neerja's past describing her marriage issue, her father's advises, her handling of the passengers, her smartness of not taking the U.S. citizens' passports, her calmness, her love letter written by her lover, her love towards her duty, her sacrifice - everything is just so perfect. I'm no getting over from it. This is probably one of the best films of this year.

I salute you from the bottom of my heart to Neerja Bhanot, the actual one. She has been rewarded Ashok Chakra by the government of India. Though, Airlift was a good one, but, this deserves support from the audience. This is definitely better than Airlift. Please, it's my humble request to all that go and watch out the story of the brave girl, Neerja. Her mother told that Neerja was prettier than Sonam. Yes, the photographs in the end credits give the approval to this statement. A girl, aged 23, lost her life while saving the passengers during her job. Watch it and think that where we reached till now! Massive respect!