Neerja Film Review – Potent True Story But Lacks Director’s Ingenuity

Neerja Film Review

Neerja Bhanot was a savior of many lives aboard the Pan Am flight 73 that was hijacked by terrorists. Based on the true story, Neerja, the film, doesn’t hit you as hard as you might expect. Needless to say, the film is edgy, but it lacks creative vibrancy. There is nothing new in the direction; clearly, we could have done with more style and flair. Neerja, the film, is straightforward directing sans ingenuity. It might appeal to audiences who haven’t seen many movies, although it will seem quite dated to the rest.

Overall:	(3.0 / 5)
Story:	(3.5 / 5)
Acting:	(3.0 / 5)
Music:	(2.5 / 5)
Dialogue:	(3.0 / 5)
Visuals:	(2.0 / 5)

Sonam Kapoor has yet to deliver a memorable performance, and while this is better than some of her previous stints, it still leaves a lot to be desired. Playing a famous personality or someone who has done something outstanding has a clear advantage over a fictitious character. Sonam doesn’t capitalize enough, and it appears as if she is unable to relate to her character in the movie. A mere resemblance is not sufficient to make the character you portray truly yours. To achieve perfection, you need to imbibe the character’s essence into your persona, and that does not seem to be the case over here.

In a string of rather unremarkable roles, this one does break the rhythm for Sonam, and, hopefully, we can see better performances from her in the future. Shabana Azmi is as convincing as ever in her role as Neerja’s mother. Alas, with all of her acting finesse, she solely cannot carry this movie much beyond good.

The film cuts back to Neerja’s past throughout its duration, with her broken relationship with her husband to the night that she boarded the flight. This ploy of getting the audience somehow emotionally involved with the film doesn’t seem to work as much as it should, partly because the director uses these cuts too often. It is hard to keep the movie “exciting” while at the same time make it a “tearjerker.” To be honest to the director, it does seem that he has tried hard to infuse some emotional elements into the film without going overboard.

Of course, Neerja, the film, is good, and that is because of the real story of Neerja Bhanot. It has got nothing to do with the director or the actors or anyone else associated with the film. Their input to the movie as creative addition is minimal. What has the film done by way of portraying the real-life tragedy on the big screen? Very minimal. Apart from the fact that now many people know about the horrifying incidents that took place 30 years ago and the bravery of one flight attendant. Well, that very little thing might be a lot in the end.

In Conclusion

So, if you haven’t heard about Neerja Bhanot, you should watch this movie. Not only will you come out more informed, but you will also be glad to have seen a story about a courageous young lady who gave her life to save others.