Sonam Kapoor gets emotional at ‘Neerja’ trailer launch
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-12-18 13:19 GMT
Mumbai: It was all smiles and a few tears as Bollywood beauty Sonam Kapoor, launched the trailer of her highly anticipated film ‘Neerja’. The biopic, has been based on the heroic efforts of Pan Am flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who was awarded the Ashok Chakra for saving 359 lives from the hijacked Flight 73 in Karachi in 1986, though at the cost of her own life.
The actress, who has always been a supporting star throughout her career in Bollywood, will take centre stage portraying the brave heart.
At the launch, the star said she wasn’t sure if she would be able to portray such strong character as she was just an ordinary girl. But Shanti Sivaram Maini, her agent and co-producer of the film, who came to her with the story, assured her that Bhanot was also an ordinary girl before her feat.
Half way into the launch, Sonam got emotional discussing her experiences of portraying Neerja. The star got teary eyed while answering certain questions from the media and she struggled to control her emotions.
“Anything that is emotionally challenging kind of makes you grow as a human being. You learn how to be better through everything especially if something pushes you beyond a certain limit. Anything that Neerja Bhanot has brought into my life is being positive, it’s not strained me, it’s made me stronger,” she said.
Shabana Azmi, who will be seen playing Sonam’s on-screen mother, revealed that Anil Kapoor had asked her to dissuade his daughter Sonam from entering Bollywood.
“I remember Anil coming to me and saying make Sonam understand not to take up acting. So that time, I told her she should study and go to a college in London. But later I told her go become an actress. She is like my daughter,” Shabana told.
“I feel lucky, blessed… Privileged to be part of this film. It’s a great story… The dialogues are too good. It’s a matter of pride to do this film,” the 65-year-old actress said.
Even before the veteran actress shot for this film she had met Neerja’s mother while presenting an award in Neerja’s name.
“When I met her I felt I know her. I have tried to play her with honesty…without any manipulation. She is just the way she looks. She is a special person. It’s sad that she couldn’t watch the film,” she added.
The film is directed by Ram Madhavani and Shabana is all praise for him.
“Javed Akhtar, my husband and I knew Ram since quite sometime. We always used to tell him to make a film. Ram and I both like same kind of films …Our sensibilities connected,” she said. The film is slated to release in February next year.