Sonam Kapoor’s eponymous biopic on flight stewardess Neerja Bhanot is days away from release and its latest promo material will leave you choked. A new sound clip released by the film’s producer, Fox Star India, has Neerja making the flight announcement reportedly on board the ill-fated PanAm Flight 73 on 5 September 1986. She was dead a few hours later after saving the lives of 359 passengers from four Abu Nidal terrorists who hijacked the flight. She was 22.
On Tuesday evening, Fox Star Hindi, presenters of the film, shared an audio clipping from PanAm Flight 73 on September 5. The producers shared a tweet with Neerja’s last-ever flight announcement along with the post: “The voice of our hero, the inspiration of a generation! #Neerja Bhanot.”
Neerja’s real voice, and reportedly her last flight announcement, can be heard in the 58-second long clip. Neerja boarded the Pan Am Flight 73 on September 5 and made her regular announcement before the plane was hijacked. She lost her life while saving the live of 359 passengers from four terrorists on board. She hid the passports of American passengers on the plane, preventing the hijackers from identifying and picking them off. She was killed while leading a group of children to safety.
Neerja was the first civilian to be awarded Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. The film is directed by Ram Madhvani. The film, which stars Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Ravijiani in pivotal roles, hits theatres on 19 February 2016.
