Women-centric films are not a new phenomenon in Hindi cinema. There have been many stories told from the female perspective, But in all these films there is a love story that invariably tags along the narrative. And this is there Gunjan Saxena The Kargil Girl stands apart.
The film is the dramatised version of Gunjan Saxena’s life, the only woman from the Indian Air Force who was part of Kargil conflict. It gives us a simple and straight forward narration of Gunjan’s journey, whose one true love is flying. She dreams of being a pilot but destiny makes her an officer in the Indian Air Force.
Like any young woman trying to swim against the tide, Gunjan has her fair share of detractors; within the family in the form of her brother and a slightly reluctant mother, and during her training, her supervising officer and every cadet in her unit. But she finds support in her father, who stands by her dreams. He supports her passion and is her voice of reason and conviction as well. During training, Gunjan finds a strong and formidable mentor who helps her fly higher.
The Performances
Janhvi Kapoor as Gunjan Saxena has the right look for the film and manages to play her part well, most of the time. There are times when she seems to falter, but a superlative supporting cast makes her performance memorable.
Of all the supporting actors, Pankaj Tripathi as Gunjan’s father is outstanding. He is the best father that any girl could ever have. He is a natural actor and his scenes with Jahnvi are the high points of the film. Manav Vij as Gunjan’s mentor and Vineet Kumar as her supervisor pack a punch. Ayesha Raza Mishra as Gunjan’s mother and Angad Bedi as her brother are commendable.
The Creators
Directed by Sharan Sharma, written by Sharma and Nikhil Mehrotra, the movie is told with no unnecessary frills. There is no chest-thumping patriotism and over the top drama. This makes the film, real and relatable. Manush Nandan’s camera work is not glossy or gritty, but he successfully manages to celebrate the protagonist with some amazing frames. Music by Amit Trivedi and Kausar Munir’s lyrics are pleasant and inspiring. Nitin Baid has done brilliant editing, keeping the film crisp and engaging with a run time of under two hours.
Gunjan Saxena - The Kargil Girl is inspiring, emotional and a story that is not so often told like this, with simplicity and honesty.
Streaming now on Netflix.
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