In a week when defenders of violence and divisiveness are laying claim to a monopoly on patriotism, comes an unintentionally well-timed chronicle of service to country and humanity. Neerja Bhanot did not fly a 207-feet-high Tiranga over her home or beat up journalists at Patiala House while shouting "Vande mataram", yet in this film's closing moments, as her family announces an award in her name and her photograph smiles at us from a podium next to an image of the Indian tricolor, we are gently reminded that there is no greater way to make India proud than to do your duty quietly, determinedly and in spite of your fears, as she did.

We know Neerja Bhanot's story, but are curious nevertheless to see how it unfolds on the silver screen. Will the director go in for over-dramatic scenes in the name of 'creative liberty'? Or, are we going to witness a film that is too 'filmy' to be inspired by 'real events'? Perhaps the brickbats Airlift faced prompted the filmmakers to flash a disclaimer at the start: The film is not a biography or a documentary on the brave Pan Am air hostess. For a second, it almost seems like a warning.

Neerja is the youngest daughter and the only girl in a family that has two older brothers. She is addressed as Laddo(loved one) by her parents, Rama(Shabana) and journalist-father Harish(Yogendra Tiku). 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.'

One minute into Neerja, and Sonam Kapoor disappears. We meet, instead, Neerja Bhanot: a poised and cool Rajesh Khanna fangirl, a doted-on daughter, a neighbourhood favourite, a young girl who enjoyed smiling for the cameras. She loved her job, making it up the Pan Am ranks to become a Head Purser before she turned 23.

A film made on a real person comes with its own baggage and on occasions, filmmakers are often tempted to make their protagonists larger-than-life, which sometimes results in adding an element of unrealism to the narrative. However, once in a while comes a film, which excels at realism and also brings a lump to everyone's throat and Ram Madhwani's Neerja is certainly one such movie, which will be named in such a list of films.

This is a wow biopic of Neerja Bhanot, the Pan Am flight Purser who lost her life shielding three children from a hail of bullets from the terrorists who had hijacked the flight in Pakistan. She not only saved the three kids but her calm presence also ensured that the pilots were alerted on time so that they could escape and most of the 361 passengers on board along with the crew managed to escape when she opened the emergency door.

For a director to make a film on a real life incident is in itself a mammoth task. One has to be very careful with all the facts and ensure nothing during the research is overlooked or has a flawed representation. And when the subject is on a brave young girl, Neerja Bhanot, the youngest recipient of Ashok Chakra, the making only gets tougher. She saved 360 lives of the 380 passengers aboard Pam Am Flight, which was hijacked in 1986.

A black-and-yellow taxi makes its way to the Navjeevan Society in Mumbai in the wee hours of September 4, 1986. Neerja (Sonam Kapoor) chats up the old driver with the famous Rajesh Khanna dialogue from Anand: "Babumoshai, zindagi badi honi chaiye, lambi nahi." In that one line, you're informed about what you already know: this is a story that doesn't end happily and you are curious about not the story but how it is told.

As everyone knows, Neerja is based on the brave airhostess who lost her life saving many others during the unforgettable Pan Am hijacking of 1986. When it comes to hijacking dramas, the first and the best film that comes to my mind is United 93, a terrifying drama set on the only flight that crashed on an empty paddock during the infamous 9/11 attacks. As far as I can remember, Bollywood's last attempt in this genre was the mediocre Shiney Ahuja film, Hijack. So it was with some trepidation that I went to watch Neerja, but in the end, I was simply bowled over!

Director Ram Madhvani's long overdue return (where did he go missing all these years, after his terrific debut 'Let's Talk'?) to the screen is invested with the urgency and the sense of impending doom which tells us just how those terror-filled hours must have been like for Neerja, who was on that hopping Pan Am flight, New Delhi-Karachi-Frankfurt-New York, celebrating her first time as chief purser.

Defying every norm laid down in the mainstream Bollywood rule-book, Neerja coaxes a riveting two-hour drama out of a real-life tale of extraordinary courage. For those old enough to remember how the hijacking of the 1986 Pan Am flight 73 panned out, the details are obviously all in the public domain. Yet, the need to bring the story of Neerja Bhanot to the big screen cannot be questioned, especially from the point of view of a younger audience.

Ram Madhvani's NEERJA is a heroic story of a brave young girl Neerja Bhanot who displayed extraordinary courage during extremely dangerous circumstances. It is a rare film that will make you cry profusely but at the same time scaffold you with strength to raise your voice against injustice and why one must never compromise on self-respect.

Neerja Bhanot (Sonam Kapoor) is introduced to us as a huge Rajesh Khanna fan. She is an independent girl who juggles two careers of being an air hostess and a model with immense dedication. With a supportive family, who are proud of her, Neerja's life is near perfect until her destiny takes a detour.