Women Power
Neerja Bhanot, Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom
Over the last couple of years Indian cinema has seen a flood of women centric biopics that speak a thousand words about the women power and their significant achievements.
Latest offering in this category is Neerja, a biopic being made on the life of the Indian flight purser, Neerja Bhanot, who was shot dead by the terrorists on a hijacked Pan Am flight in 1986. While the three cockpit members fled immediately, Neerja chose to stay back and saved the lives of the passengers on board. Sonam Kapoor, an Indian actress who is famous in the international fashion circuit as well for her impeccable style, is going to play the heroic character of Neerja. The film is set to release on February 19, 2016 and the trailer has already garnered tremendous response from the Indian film industry and common public alike. Not long ago in 2014, the world was appalled by the movie Mary Kom, the biographical made on the life of the five times ‘Women World Amateur Boxing Champion, MC Mary Kom. In fact a huge chunk of Indians were not even aware that such a star boxer exists in India. Director Omung Kumar felt the need to educate India and perhaps the world as well about the magnificent achievements of the 32-year-old boxer who carved a niche for herself beating all odds of a village life in Manipur, a north East Indian state. Priyanka Chopra, the Indian actress, who portrayed the character of Mary Kom in the film, won accolades for her performance. Recently Amol Gupte, the Indian screen writer and director of Taare Zameen Par (2007) fame, which in itself was a milestone for the Indian cinema, announced another offering in this category – a biopic on India’s ace shuttler, Saina Nehwal. The 25-year-old badminton player was ranked No.1 in the Women’s Singles category by the Badminton World Federation in the year 2015 and is also the first Indian woman to win a medal in Olympics. As Amol Gupte proudly says, “How many times have we encountered either a male or a female Indian get prime ranking in a world sport? None, except Saina Nehwal. That makes it different, doesn’t it? It’s a story of a tigress beti (daughter), who has set fire to the badminton court with her prowess like no one else before. The nation needs to know the story of her story.”
For a matter of fact these films actually educate people about these magnificent women and instill a feeling of pride and motivation in many young Indian hearts – making them believe that they too can see their dreams coming true.
