There are no theatrics she’s dignified, strong and real. Sonam’s Neerja quietly seals a place in your heart. Having fled from a disastrous alliance to a male chauvinist, Neerja has promised herself that if ever life gives her another opportunity, she will look adversity in the eye. Yes, she has her reasons for being the brave heart she is. Between the strife, the director also allows you a look at Neerja’s troubled marriage. The film makes you weep and mourn the ongoing acts of global terrorism. The in-flight drama between gun-`n’-grenade toting men and a plane-load of hapless victims, leaves you angry.

The story of this Indian beti is well-known and yet director Ram Madhvani gives us welcome aided-recall with his deft story-telling. But, she stays back to shield the passengers. The spunky stewardess warns the pilots in the cockpit about the hijack. One fateful day, the plane is hijacked by Libyan terrorists when it makes a halt at Karachi. Her father’s life lessons to her are, `don’t let anyone kill your spirit.’ Quite like her screen idol, Rajesh Khanna from the movie Anand, the spirited youngster, wants to live `a badi(big) life not a long one.’ Though she’s bone-tired between her modelling assignments, Neerja loves to fly. She is addressed as Laddo(loved one) by her parents, Rama(Shabana) and journalist-father Harish(Yogendra Tiku).

Review: Neerja is the youngest daughter and the only girl in a family that has two older brothers.

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