‘Neerja’ does not show Pakistan in poor light, says Shabana Azmi

The Pakistani censor board may have banned Neerja, but Shabana Azmi is ‘confident’ that her film will receive clearance for release in the country, Indian Express reported.

Amid reports of Neerja’s ban in Pakistan, the veteran actor said, “The film is yet to be seen by the selection committee. So, we are waiting for their reaction and we are absolutely confident that once they watch the film they will have no problem with it.”

“… Neerja was awarded the Ashok Chakra by Indian government, a medal by Pakistan and a citation by the US government. There is no way that we will tell a story in which a girl was awarded by Pakistani government and show the country in poor light. I’m really confident that when they will watch the film, they will realise their apprehensions were completely misfounded.”

When the film’s director Ram Madhavani was asked to comment on the matter, he said that there is no official word as of yet and they will find out in two days if Neerja is given the go-ahead in Pakistan or not.

The ministry of commerce had initially authorised the import of the film by issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to IMGC Entertainment, the interested importer of Neerja, allowing the film to be brought into Pakistani territory. Later on, the ministry revoked the import authorisation certificate, eliminating any chances of the film being imported, let alone being screened.

When approached for a comment, a commerce ministry official said the NOC had been issued after the legal requirements were met. “However, due to the objectionable nature of the content, we revoked the certificate,” he said.

While CBFC officials continue to remain in the dark regarding the issue, IMGC Executive Director Abid Rasheed, speculated the decision may have stemmed from “anti-Pakistan elements” presented in the film. “Neerja is basically about the hijacking of a Pan Am flight in Karachi and then, it also shows Muslims in a negative light,” said Rasheed. “That is something which may not go down too well with local audiences.”

Neerja has been directed by Ram Madhvani under the banner of Fox Star Studios. It stars Sonam Kapoor in the titular role while veteran actor Shabana Azmi and music director Shekhar Ravjiani also join in as supporting actors. The film is expected to release in India on February 19.

Fox Star Hindi, production house of upcoming biopic Neerja, recently released the clip of her last flight announcement and it’s nothing short of heart-wrenching.

The tragic tale of Neerja is known on both sides of the border, she was the senior flight purser on the ill-fated Pan Am Flight 73 flying from Mumbai to USA, which was hijacked by four armed men on September 5, 1986 when it was stopped at Karachi airport in Pakistan.

Having displayed true courage and bravery in the face of crisis, she won the Ashok Chakra, making her the youngest recipient of India’s highest peacetime military award for bravery. She was also awarded the Tamgha-e-Insaaniyat by the Pakistani government.

Based on her life, film Neerja, aims to bring her story on the big screen. The film slated to release on February 19 stars Sonam Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot and Shabana Azmi essaying the role of her mother.