Film Neerja – story cast and crew of the movie

Sonam Kapoor as Neerja

Hindi film Neerja will be released on 19 February 2016 and the film is based on the actual hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan. Flight attendant Neerja Bhanot sacrificed her life for the lives of her passengers.

Story of the film Neerja

Neerja Bhanot

The film is based on the life of flight attendant Neerja Bhanot who was shot dead by terrorists who hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi on 5 September 1986.

Neerja Bhanot was the senior flight purser in Pan Am Flight 73 flying from Mumbai to the USA and the plane was hijacked by four armed men at Karachi airport in Pakistan. There were 400 passengers. The terrorist wanted to redirect the plane towards Israel and crash it into a building. The pilot, co-pilot and the flight engineer evacuated the aircraft so that the aircraft could not be forcibly flown. Neerja Bhanot took charge.

The hijackers tried to identify the American passengers through passports but Neerja Bhanot and the other attendants hid the passports of the 41 Americans on board.

After 17 hours, the hijackers opened fire and set off explosives. Neerja Bhanot opened the emergency door and assisted all the passengers to escape. Neerja was shot by the hijackers and from a total of 41 American passengers, only 2 were killed during firing. One of the children,who was in that flight and then  aged 7, is now a captain for a major airline and has stated that Neerja Bhanot has been his inspiration and he owes every day of his life to her.

Neerja Bhanot is the youngest recipient of the Ashok Chakra Award, India's most prestigious gallantry award for bravery during peace time.

Cast and crew of film Neerja

 Cast

Sonam Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot

Shabana Azmi as Rama Bhanot

Shekhar Ravjiani as Jaideep

Yogendra Tiku as Harish Bhanot

Crew

Director: Ram Madhvani

Music Director:  Vishal Khurana