- Wednesday, May 08, 2024
By: Murtuza Nullwala
It’s 2020 and we are living in a world where women are there in every field proving that they are equally good as men and even better than them. But this was not the case in the 80s and 90s.
Gunjan Saxena, a 9-year-old girl from Lucknow, dreams to become a pilot. But her elder brother says ‘ladkiyan pilot nahi banti’ and tells her to serve food (hinting that girls can only be an air hostess and not pilot). But Gunjan’s father supports her.
However, a few years later things don’t go as planned and while Gunjan feels that her dream to become a pilot will never be fulfilled, IAF announces their first batch for female officers. Gunjan gets selected and goes for training and how she tries to make a mark in the field ruled by men, takes the story forward…
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is a biopic on IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena who was the first IAF woman pilot to fly in the war zone during the 1999 Kargil War. Well, of course, the film showcases the iconic moment, but it also takes us through the whole journey of Gunjan wonderfully.
Writers Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharan Sharma have done a great job with the screenplay. There’s no dull moment in the film and it just goes on with the flow. Nikhil and Sharan have put the perfect amount of drama and emotions in the movie.
Sharan Sharma, who makes his directorial debut with the film, has narrated it very well. He is the co-writer, so his vision to direct the film is clear and he has made a perfect Bollywood entertainer that also inspires us a lot.
Talking about performances, it was clearly not an easy role to portray for an actress, but Janhvi Kapoor has done an excellent job in the film. She shines in each and every sequence and proves her mettle as an actor. Pankaj Tripathi’s character is one of the best characters in the film and he has done a wonderful job as the supportive father of Gunjan Saxena.
Ayesha Raza Mishra, Angad Bedi, and Vineet Kumar Singh are good in their respective roles. A special mention to Manav Vij who impresses us a lot in the movie.
Coming to music, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl has some decent songs composed by Amit Trivedi. But the song Asmaan Di Pari sung by Jyoti Nooran stands out. Also, Kausar Munir’s lyrics are damn good, we love the track Bharat Ki Beti.
Overall, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is not just a perfect tribute to IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena, but also it’s a perfect tribute to all the women trying to make a mark in the man’s world.
Ratings: 4/5
Watch the trailer here…
