cinemacula
I'm compelled to write this review for the movie Neerja. This is a mockery. It fails in every aspect of narration. I do realize that Indians have this 'adjustment' mentality but this piece has the ability to push even an Indian beyond his adjustment tolerance.Worst possible direction for such an epic story and casting is poorest to honest. The extras are horrible in the movie. They are neither interested in active story nor there was any effort made to groom them for the scene.Screenplay is the real buzz kill. It switches to personal story from a high point hijack scene at an abrupt point, it kills all the moment gained so far. And fails to push the movie back to similar pace.I hardly remember listening to any soundtrack or music score. Such an emotional roller coaster movie subject with thrilling scenes and music doesn't make slightest attempt to harness those situations. An utter failure from music point of view.Shabana Azmi tries to steer the entire movie with her performance alone. And the rest of the crew fails to do justice. She must credited for being the only scorer here for the movie.And I'm very particular about cinematography and this had the worst cinematography one can imagine. Eye of the movie never attempts to make me feel the situation they are in. It was supposed to teleport me inside the plane but the plane was where it was. Never connected with the story.There are specific scenes which could've been emphasized even more because they form the load bearing actions of the movie.
zee-dost
OK some of the characters are one-dimensional. And honestly for those of us who speak Arabic, the Arabic "spoken" by the terrorists was grating. "Akhu-ee" meaning "my brother" came out as "ahoy". If you are going to make a film, please employ actors who actually can speak the language or can learn how to do so. Otherwise this is a solid film. Well-paced, well-acted and reliable in terms of its commitment to historical accuracy. I found it particularly touching in the ways that Neerja's childhood and youth are contrasted with her circumstances on board the hijacked plane. Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and actor playing the father give very good performances.
Vikas Patel
I think this is the best movie I have ever seen. Sonam Kapoor left the comfort zone of romantic movie , it's her career best performance till now.Shabana G makes me so emotional at that moment but give a strong message to all.Indian cinema awaken us of real heroes of past and give us inspiration.Watch the real stories not reel.
rodrig58
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.
AD
