Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 24, 2017)

Ram Madhavi's 2016 biographical-drama put the spotlight on Pan-American World Airways' late purser, Neerja Bhanot's valour, and brought her sacrifice to the attention of the country after over 30 years. But, Bhanot's family has been left to struggle with the deception of the film's producers, after apparently being denied their share of the film's profits.

On Friday, the family moved Chandigarh High Court, accusing Atul Kasbekar's Bling Unplugged and Fox Star Studios of criminal conspiracy. Speaking to mid-day from Chandigarh, Bhanots' legal counsel, Hemant Saini says, "The parties entered into an agreement which promised the family 10 per cent profits, over and above the initial stipulated amount. Now, the producers are indicating that the contract referred to the percentage made by Bling alone, and not by both the producers. They claim that the amount the family is demanding belongs to Fox, which, they say, is not party to the agreement. They say most of the profits have gone to the studio and they can only give what they have. However, it was made clear that if the producers assign the rights to anybody else (in this case, to Fox), they too will be bound by this agreement. It's a clear case of cheating."

The petition claims 'the producers have conducted a planned conspiracy and dishonestly induced the family members of late Rama Bhanot (Neerja's mother) with the intention of wrongful gains to themselves.' Saini adds, "The movie made over Rs 135 crore, but Kasbekar's company said the studio would keep 80 per cent of the profits. The family was given a small amount (nearly Rs 25 lakh), which they refused to accept. They wanted to use the profits to set up a charitable trust to help women in need."

Though, Atul remained unavailable for comment, in an earlier statement, he had said the family's demands were "a retrospective negotiation and not as per what is signed by them years ago".

Neerja's brother Aneesh believes in the fairness of the judiciary and preferred to stay mum. "The matter is up before the Court next Friday," Saini added.

MUMBAI MIRROR (May 24, 2017)

Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 23, 2017)

Was Neerja Bhanot’s family shortchanged, despite the film on her life becoming a critical and commercial success? Well, that is exactly what her brothers Aneesh and Akhil are alleging. The Bhanot bros are dragging the film’s co-producer Atul Kasbekar to court, over breach of contract.

The brothers allege that the co-producer has not lived up to his commitment — he supposedly promised the family 10 per cent of the film’s profits.

Neerja’s brother Aneesh refused to share details of the case, but maintained, “Neerja always believed and said, ‘Do not tolerate any injustice’, and that is what we are doing: not tolerating injustice. The rest is up to the courts to decide.” Atul, too, kept it terse. “As you know, there are two sides to any issue. We will issue a statement soon,” said he.

Director Ram Madhvani chose to steer clear of controversy. “Atul is a friend. And as far I am concerned, the Bhanots will always be a part of my family. My commitment to them is for a lifetime. I’ve nothing to do with the financial dynamics of the film. I am not a producer on Neerja. I wish the matter is resolved at the earliest,” he says.

MUMBAI MIRROR (May 22, 2017)

Sonam Kapoor with Anish and Akhil Bhanot and Farooq Abdullah at the event. Pic/Poonam Bathija

Shilpi Sampad (MID-DAY; November 21, 2016)

In her last screen outing, Neerja, Sonam Kapoor brought to life the late hero, who died saving hundreds of lives during a Pan Am hijack in 1986. So, when a special award was to be posthumously bestowed on the braveheart last night, Neerja Bhanot's family decided to have the actress collect the honour on her behalf.

Sonam walked to the dais along with Neerja's brothers, Anish and Akhil, to accept the award from former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah at the Mother Teresa Memorial International Awards for Social Justice 2016.

A source close to Sonam said, "The foundation was keen to have her accept the award on Neerja's behalf. She is close to the Bhanots too. So, she decided to attend the ceremony with Neerja's brothers."

Sonam was also guest of honour at the event and participated in a discussion on "Combating terror through education".

Post event, Sonam told hitlist, "The award is special for so many reasons. I was happy to join the Bhanot family and receive the award on behalf of the braveheart whose courage has set an example for everyone who wants to make a difference."

Harshada Rege (DNA; January 25, 2016)


Says Sonam, “I am honoured that Bombay Scottish has invited me for the flag hoisting ceremony. The hijack happened 30 years ago, and I am glad that through the film her story has re-emerged. It’s the kind of story that you would want everyone to know. It’s about doing the right thing. Something that’s very relevant in today’s day and age. We are living in dark times. There is turmoil all around us. The qualities that Neerja had, the youth should be encouraged to imbibe those. Not just to be brave, but also to stand for what they believe in.”

The actress adds that she signed the film because she identified with the braveheart, “When I signed the movie, the one thing that hit me was that she is like one of us. She is from Bombay Scottish. She’s a Mumbai girl. She is like anyone of us...young, beautiful and successful. The one thing that stands out about her is that she was very principled. She’s definitely someone who displayed many aspirational qualities.”

At the event, Sonam will be addressing the students. She explains, “Republic Day is also about celebrating people who have done something for the country. And Neerja was all of 23. If you had asked me two years ago about whom I looked up to I would have taken other names, but now I really admire Neerja. She was a girl who came from a family that would seem ordinary, but went to on to do something that was absolutely extraordinary. I want to emphasise on that. She proved that anyone can be a superhero. Kids look up to Superman and Spider-Man who have special powers, and that’s why we need to tell them about people like them who have done extraordinary things. We should be extremely proud that a 23-year-old Indian girl had such extraordinary courage.”

MID-DAY (January 12, 2016)

Barely three weeks of the trailer being released, makers of Sonam Kapoor-starrer Neerja have been flooded with scores of mails from abroad. Two hundred-odd survivors of the 1986 hijacked Pan Am flight have expressed gratitude to the makers for coming up with a biopic on their hero, senior flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life to save theirs. Bhanot helped 359 of the total 379 people on board the ill-fated aircraft to escape before falling to the terrorists’ bullets.

A touching letter penned by Nicole Thomas Fredrick, daughter of one of the pilots, 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.”

Directed by Ram Madhvani, Neerja revisits the story of courage shown by the 23-year-old Mumbai-based flight attendant who was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra for bravery — the youngest recipient to bag the honour.

Shabana Azmi plays Rama Bhanot in the biopic directed by Ram Madhvani
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 10, 2015)

On July19, 2014, Shabana Azmi presented the Neerja Bhanot Bravery Award for 2013 to Delhi-based social activist, Rashmi Anand who herself had been a victim of domestic abuse.

The award was instituted in 1991 in memory of senior flight purser of Pan Am, Neerja Bhanot, who saved the lives of 41 Americans after the plane was hijacked by Libya-backed terrorists at Karachi Airport in September 1986. She opened the emergency door and helped hundreds of passengers jump out, dying while shielding three children from a hail of bullets.

While in Chandigarh, Shabana interacted with the Bhanot family and was drawn to Neerja's mother, Rama, for her incredible warmth and simplicity. "I felt a strange connection to Neerja's mom Ramaji and we struck up a friendship. I lectured her on fitness, urging her to take her morning walks regularly. I even told her that I'd call to check if she was following my advice," Shabana reminisces. She did call, to inform her son Aneesh that she'd be playing his mother on screen.

Neerja, the biopic directed by Ram Madhvani, presents the stylishly glamorous Shabana as a simple, middle-class housewife. She points out that Ram was very clear about the look he wanted.

"He and I are old friends. We share a passion for the same kind of cinema and I was curious about his style of working. We started the prep with a couple of workshops. After that, there were no rehearsals. The camera simply follows you around, with Ram preferring only natural light as he strives to create a slice-of-life effect on screen. The kind of preparedness he expects from you as an actor is what you'd give to theatre. At the same time, there's plenty of freedom to explore," she says.

Sonam Kapoor plays Neerja and Shabana couldn't be happier. She has known Sonam since she was born and her parents, Anil and Sunita Kapoor, for over three decades. "When Sonam decided to become an actress, Anil worried that she was too tall, sent her to me hoping I'd dissuade her. I told the sweet child to do what her heart told her to, I'd support her," she laughs. "Years later, when I was filming Neerja with her, Anil was promoting Zoya's (Akhtar) film, Dil Dhadakne Do. It's such a pleasure when children carry on the relationships of their parents."

She recalls that Rama Bhanot was equally proud of her brave daughter who gave up her life to save others at the age of 22. "Ramaji already had two sons, Akhil and Aneesh, which should have been enough to give her an exalted status in our patriarchal society. The fact that she wanted another child proves that she wanted a daughter. Neerja was the proverbial sunshine girl who made her parents really happy. I'm glad Ram is making this film which lauds the bravery of a girl child," Shabana asserts.

Ask her on whether Zoya had approached her for her recently-released film and Shabana says, "No, apart from Honeymoon Travels which she produced, Zoya hasn't cast me in any of her films. When I point out that people are talking about it, she laughs and says when she has a role for me, she'll force me to do it," chuckles the actress, adding that many have overlooked the fact that Dil Dhadakne Do focuses on gender politics and how men like Kamal Mehra (Anil Kapoor) and Manav Singha (Rahul Bose) are as much victims of the patriarchal system as their wives.

Meanwhile, she's shuttling between four films: Neerja, Jazbaa, Chalk N Duster and The Black Prince. "Since the last four months, I've been working every single day. Somebody called me the 'female Rishi Kapoor'. I take that as a compliment," she says.

Rumour mills have been buzzing that her Jazbaa co-star, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and she don't see eye-to-eye. She guffaws, "That's so unfounded, it's ridiculous. I'm astounded. I've finished all my work with Ash except for one scene. All's well."

Sonam Kapoor talks about playing Neerja Bhanot — the celebrated braveheart
Srishti Dixit (DNA; June 8, 2015)

She tells it like it is...

Neerja’s taxing schedule
“I am exhausted. I have black bruises on my body! I am not using a body double for the film. We have been shooting for 16 hours each day, it’s kinda like a play because that’s how long the actual hijack lasted. We will be done with the shooting soon. It will release next year. Fox Star Studios, the studio behind this film and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo want to focus on PRDP right now and will have rigorous promotions for the same. This will be a hard-working year for me.”

Telling Neerja’s story
“What happened on the PanAm flight the day it was hijacked was like a film! When I heard Neerja Bhanot’s story for the first time I was like, ‘This cannot be true!’ It was Neerja’s first flight as a head purser. She was 22 years old and everybody on that plane was her responsibility. The first thing that one learns while training to become an air hostess is hijack training. The first thing she did was press the button to give out the hijack code to the pilot. She thwarted the first instance of an attack like 9/11 from happening because the terrorists on board wanted to fly the plane into the American embassy in Iran but it never left the Karachi tarmac because she had alarmed the pilots. There were four terrorists who got into the plane pretending to be from Karachi airport security armed with AK-47s, pistols and grenades. They wanted to kill the American passengers on board, so when they asked Neerja to collect every passenger’s passport, she had the presence of mind to protect the American passengers by hiding their passports. She had a lot of courage and wanted to save these people because she had this innate sense of duty. She had got her hijack training just two weeks before the PanAm episode. She was really principled. Her mother told me that everything that happened in Neerja’s life, happened to lead up to the chapter of the PanAm hijack. She manipulated the hijackers and let the emergency door open. She made sure that every person got out; she was the last person to go out. She was shot in the chest and back while body-shielding three kids who were trying to get out of the aircraft. No cabin crew was hurt, 20 people were injured, and she was the only one who died. She passed away on her way to the hospital. I have spoken to some 200 people who were in that hijack and after all of that, I feel like Neerja has become a part of me. I don’t know what happens with this biopic and how people react, but we are shooting every incident that happened showing all the real and minute details and every trauma that Neerja went through as it happened.

Personal struggle
She was brutalised by some of the hijackers on the plane, but she held it together. She was in an abusive marriage for six months so when she was on that plane she told one of her colleagues, ‘I know how to stand up to bullies’ because she was bullied in her marriage. Her mother told me that she never brought up Neerja to be a soldier. I feel very bad for the family but I knew that this unreal sounding real-life story had to be told. It is the most insane story ever and every time I talk about it, I get goosebumps. There is something that comes over me when I am shooting. We have to memorise 16 hours worth of lines, I NEVER forget a line. Nobody on the set forgets anything; it’s like everybody is on auto-pilot.”

The actress did so as part of her research on playing the braveheart
Sneha Mahadevan (DNA; May 29, 2015)


Our source reveals, “Sonam has been in touch with Neerja’s family and met her mother Rama and brothers, Aneesh and Akhil, to discuss her life as part of research for the film. Sonam understands how difficult it must be for the flight attendant’s family to lose a daughter and a sister and is making sure she goes about her character in the most sensitive way possible. In fact, when she met them, she showed them her look in the film. The family was happy to see that her life being portrayed on screen, was being handled with care.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; May 19, 2015)

Neerja Bhanot’s brother Aneesh talks about the biopic on his sister’s life, and reveals why his family is staying away from the film
Harshada Rege (DNA; May 4, 2015)


Speaking to us over the phone Aneesh says, “The producers had approached us sometime ago about the project and we gave them our nod. My family and I were extremely happy when we heard that a movie was being made on her life.”

While Milkha Singh was involved in his biopic, the Bhanots are not involved creatively in the project. They have left it to producer Atul Kasbekar to do justice to their loved one’s memory. Says Aneesh, “I totally trust Atul and his sensibilities. I am sure he will handle the project with great care.” The family is far away from the film world and decided to ‘leave it to the experts’, “We don’t know much about the technicalities of movie-making, so we aren’t really getting into it.”

Aneesh reveals that they are pleased that Sonam has been selected to play Neerja on the big screen, “She is the right choice. I have seen her work and I really liked her in Raanjhanaa.” When asked if the family believes that the film should have been made sooner, he says, “I have no complaints. I am happy that the movie is being made now. My father wanted to write a book on her, but that didn’t happen.”

While most people know little about her except how brave she was, this brother recalls how she was also a toughie, “She was the youngest among us siblings, but she kept us under her thumb. It was her word that was followed in our house.” When asked what aspect of her personality he hopes gets translated on celluloid, Aneesh is quick to say, “Her sense of discipline and compassion. The fact that she stayed back to look after the passengers. She was the one who opened the emergency door, if she wanted, she could’ve been the first person to jump out and escape. But she didn’t. That sense of responsibility and compassion that she had, is something I hope the world gets to see.”

Today, it is easy to talk about Neerja but when it was fresh, it was difficult for them to cope with the grief. Specially given the media focus on the case and curiosity about his sister. Aneesh recalls, “It was extremely difficult. I went back to work three days after the incident, so did the other people in my family. It was our way of dealing with our emotions. When you are at work, you keep busy. But it was more difficult for my mother. She used to be at home and it was very tough on her.”

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 4, 2015)

Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 27, 2015)


In 2014, Shabana while giving the 2013 Neerja Bhanot Award to Rashmi Anand, a victim of domestic abuse had said, “What would Neerja have been thinking of when she opened the door of the plane, and inspite of the bullets flying all round her and hand grenades exploding, she decided not to jump out and run away but instead do her duty and help the passengers escape?”

Shabana is very close to Sonam’s father Anil Kapoor having worked with him in many films like Hum Paanch and Rakhwala. Says Anil, “I’ve always idolised Shabana. I had played a small part in Ek Baar Kaho where she was the lead actress. It was a big thing for me. And now my daughter gets to share screen space with Shabana so early in her career.”

DNA (April 3, 2015)

Fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar is turning producer with Ram Madhwani’s next film which is a biopic on the life of flight attendant Neerja Bhanot which reportedly is titled Neerja. Sonam Kapoor has been finalised to play Neerja’s role in the film that Atul will be co-producing with Fox Star Studios. The film is about Bhanot who died while saving 350 lives on the American airliner that was hijacked in Karachi in 1986. When the flight was hijacked by four terrorists, she hid passengers passports as she didn’t want the hijackers to differentiate between American and non-American citizens. She was killed while shielding three children from bullets. The 23-year- old flight attendant was also the youngest and first woman to receive the prestigious Ashok Chakra award.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; February 9, 2015)


Says Ram, “Let me clarify that I haven’t shelved the other project. The logistics weren’t working out. So while that project falls into place, I decided to go ahead with this one that I had been scripting for a year-and-a-half.”

Neerja, says Ram Madhvani, is a portrait of courage during adversity. “Hers is a story that needs to be told and told with dignity and restraint. When I closed my eyes and thought of Neerja, Sonam Kapoor came to my mind.”

Ram confesses he has liked Sonam’s work from the start. “I’ve been Sonam’s fan since Saawariya. She is just the right fit for Neerja Bhanot’s role.”

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; January 10, 2015)

Do you remember the famous Pan Am Flight 73 from Mumbai to Frankfurt that was hijacked by four terrorists in the year 1986, when the flight landed in Karachi at 5am? Neerja Bhanot alerted the cockpit crew about the hijack, but as the plane was on the tarmac, the three-member American cockpit crew of pilot, co-pilot and the flight engineer fled from the aircraft. Neerja, being the most senior cabin crew member on board, took charge. The terrorists then instructed her to collect the passports of all the passengers so that they could identify the Americans. But Neerja and the other attendants under her charge hid the passports of the 41 Americans on board. After 17 hours, the hijackers opened fire and set off explosives. Neerja opened the emergency door and helped a number of passengers escape. She could have been the first to jump out when she opened the door, but she decided not to, and was shot while shielding three children from a hail of bullets. Neerja was recognized internationally as the heroine of the hijack and became the youngest person to receive the prestigious gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra, posthumously.

This braveheart started off as a model, post which she went on to have an arranged marriage in 1985 that went sour, and she returned to live with her parents in Mumbai. She then trained to become an airhostess, post which she joined Pan Am. We have learnt that the stunning Sonam Kapoor will play the role of Neerja. The film that is currently also titled Neerja will be directed by renowned ad filmmaker Ram Madhvani, and will begin shooting in Mumbai in about two months after Sonam completes Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

Kangana Ranaut and Sonakshi Sinha too, will soon be part of biopics and it seems that this trend, that was started by Vidya Balan playing Silk Smitha, looks all set to grow, with more and more of our top actresses now doing biopics. 

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 27, 2014)

Grapevine has it that a biopic is being planned on the life of Neerja Bhanot, the 23-year-old flight attendant who saved many lives during the 1986 hijacking of an American airliner in Karachi. And Sonam Kapoor has apparently been signed on to essay the protagonist’s role.

A source says the film will be directed by Ram Madhvani and written by Saiwyn Quadras of Mary Kom fame. While there was no confirmation from the actress’ side, Neerja’s brother Aneesh said that many filmmakers had approached the Bhanots to make a biopic on the braveheart without revealing any other details.

Neerja had joined the airlines after her marriage ended in less than a year following dowry pressure. She was the chief flight purser on the ill-fated Pan Am flight 73 airline that was hijacked by four terrorists on September 5, 1986, when it landed in Karachi. While the three-member American cockpit crew fled, Neerja took control of the situation. She hid the passengers’ passports so that the hijackers could not differentiate between American and non-American citizens, but was killed while shielding three children from bullets fired by the terrorists. Twenty passengers were killed and 100 others injured.

Neerja was awarded the Ashoka Chakra posthumously, the youngest civilian in the country to be bestowed with the honour.