Neerja: Difference between revisions

[[Pre-production]] work on ''Neerja'' began in September 2014, when the film's executive producer Atul Kasbekar said that his company, Bling Unplugged, would co-produce [[Ram Madhvani]]'s film along with [[Fox Star Studios]]. Kasbekar later tweeted, "Do U Know Who Neerja Bhanot Is? No? Well U Really Really Should...".<ref name="Atul Kasbekar to produce Neerja Bhanot biopic starring Sonam Kapoor">{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/atul-kasbekar-to-produce-neerja-bhanot-biopic-starring-sonam-kapoor/|title=Atul Kasbekar to produce Neerja Bhanot biopic starring Sonam Kapoor|newspaper=[[India Today]]|date=30 March 2015|access-date=29 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810210405/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/atul-kasbekar-to-produce-neerja-bhanot-biopic-starring-sonam-kapoor/|archive-date=10 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He said, "For us [...], a story of courage as exceptional as Neerja's simply deserved to be told. We just decided that we would do our bit to ensure that India would remember one of its great heroines."<ref name="First Look : Super Star Sonam Kapoor As Neerja Bhanot In The Biopic">{{cite news|url=http://koimoi.com/bollywood-popular/first-look-sonam-kapoor-as-neerja-bhanot-in-the-biopic|title=First Look : Super Star Sonam Kapoor As Neerja Bhanot in the Biopic|publisher=Koimoi|date=4 May 2015|access-date=22 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507005011/http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-popular/first-look-sonam-kapoor-as-neerja-bhanot-in-the-biopic/|archive-date=7 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

 

 

Kapoor was contracted by Kasbekar to play Neerja Bhanot, the senior flight crew member. On receiving the role of Neerja in the film, Kapoor told [[Press Trust of India]], "I thought doing this film just reaffirms that it is about not bowing down. It is an inspiring story for me to do. I am blessed."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/sonam-kapoor-feel-blessed-to-play-neerja-bhanot-in-biopic-1219568|title=Sonam Kapoor: Feel Blessed to Play Neerja Bhanot in Biopic|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=22 September 2015|access-date=29 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123111637/http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/sonam-kapoor-feel-blessed-to-play-neerja-bhanot-in-biopic-1219568|archive-date=23 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was reported in May 2015 that [[Shekhar Ravjiani]], one half of [[Bollywood]]'s performing/producing duo [[Vishal–Shekhar]], would play a short role in the movie, marking his acting debut.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Shekhar-Ravjiani-to-play-Neerja-Bhanots-lover/articleshow/47330910.cms|title=Shekhar Ravjiani to play Neerja Bhanot's lover|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522015854/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Shekhar-Ravjiani-to-play-Neerja-Bhanots-lover/articleshow/47330910.cms|archive-date=22 May 2015|df=dmy-all|last1=Gupta |first1=Priya }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/6225215/Shekhar-Ravjiani-to-make-acting-debut-in-Neerja-|title=Shekhar Ravjiani to make acting debut in Neerja|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222104048/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/6225215/Shekhar-Ravjiani-to-make-acting-debut-in-Neerja-|archive-date=22 December 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Shabana Azmi]] played the role of Neerja's mother Rama Bhanot in the film. In an interview with ''[[The Indian Express]]'', Azmi describes her character and explains, "It was very difficult to play her, particularly the last scene where Rama addresses an audience. It is an extremely well-written emotional scene, which does complete justice to the moment."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/it-was-very-difficult-to-play-neerjas-mother-shabana-azmi/|title=It was very difficult to play Neerja's mother: Shabana Azmi|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=5 February 2016|access-date=13 June 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510012314/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/it-was-very-difficult-to-play-neerjas-mother-shabana-azmi/|archive-date=10 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>