Neerja', an experience of our lives: Pan Am 73 hijack survivor

Mumbai: Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer “Neerja” -- a biopic on Neerja Bhanot, the flight bursar who lost her life while saving others on the hijacked flight. He called the film “an experience of our lives”.

Directed by Ram Madhvani, “Neerja”, which stars Sonam playing the title role, released on February 19.

While giving a “salute” to the biographical thriller, Khanjan, whose mother Trupti Dalal died during the hijack, wrote an emotional message on Facebook on Monday.

“To some it is just another movie very well made, they rave about it, ponder over, even cry, okay... Finished... Let's have popcorn and soda, go home and tell others how great it was, but... To some of us it is an experience of our lives shared in an aesthetically enhanced way that will always be within us forever and ever,” Khanjan shared.

“On the contrary it transcend into the realms of memory which is persistently haunting, a memory that no man made tool can erase and you don't have the slightest idea what it feels like when the lower portion of your clothes is completely drenched in your mother's blood," he wrote.

“Run bare feet on a tarmac for two km, watch your father wait for a transport to arrive to carry his wife's coffin for 45 minutes and see him cry helplessly after 30 years... 'Neerja' is not a movie well made... It is an episode of our life overwhelmingly well revealed... Salute,” he added.

Atul Kasbekar, who has co-produced the film, took to Twitter on Monday to thank Khanjan for sharing his feelings about “Neerja”.

While sharing a photograph of Khanjan's message, Kasbekar wrote: “This from a survivor of PanAm73. Thank you so much Khanjan. We were intensely mindful of our responsibility to you.”

“Neerja” also features Shabana Azmi, Shekhar Ravjiani and Yogendra Tiku.

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Neerja