The intensely disturbing and emotional trailer of the biopic on Pan Am flight purser Neerja Bhanot has touched a chord with not just moviegoers but actual survivors of the ill-fated flight, which was hijacked in Karachi in 1986. The makers of the film have received tons of emails and over 200 odd survivors of the tragic incident have conveyed their gratitude for dedicating this biopic to their hero, the 23-year old Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her own life and helped save 359 lives out of the 379 people on board.
Especially, touching is one letter written by a Nicole Thomas Fredrick, daughter of one of the pilots. An extract of the letter published in Mid Day, reads, “The film’s trailer brings out the intense emotions that were going on at that time. I remember everything that happened in those 48 hours and this stirred up a lot of feelings for me again. My father would only grant interviews as long as it was about the heroism of Neerja.”
“Pilots were extensively trained to evacuate the aircraft for negotiating power. In 1986, terrorists didn’t know how to fly airplanes, so that was a bargaining tool to buy time. She did a lot to save the lives of Americans (specifically) and I will always remember that. I can’t wait to see the film. Hopefully, it will release where I live.”
The film is directed by Ram Madhvani, and stars Sonam Kapoor in the role of Neerja. The brave flight attendant was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra for bravery- the youngest recipient to bag the honour.