Last weekend saw the release of a film
that has been a long time coming. ‘Neerja’,
a Hindi-language biopic in the thriller segment, is a film written by
Saiwyn Quadras, and directed by Ram Madhvani. The movie, which stars
Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Ravjiani in its key roles,
revolves around the Libya-backed, Abu Nidal Organization’s hijacking
of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan on September 5, 1986. Head
Purser Neerja Bhanot thwarted the hijack attempt by preventing the
plane from taking off, saving the lives of approximately 360 hostages
in the process, albeit at the cost of her own life.
While Goa is a destination that often
finds many of its lasses heading into the aviation industry as an
occupational choice, it is often seen as a trade that has plenty of
fringe benefits, such as constant travel. However, it is not a trade
that comes without risks, as ‘Neerja’
has clearly depicted. A threat to one’s safety is always on the
table, and is something that can happen unannounced.
