Cast: Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi
“Jai Hind, Officer Saxena,” says Major Anshuman (Angad Bedi) to his sister, IAF officer Gunjan Saxena (Janhvi Kapoor) in the climax of the film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. In just four words, Major Anshuman summarises the epic journey that we, as viewers, embarked upon two hours ago. Inspired by the true story of the first woman IAF officer flying into a warzone, the film makes it clear at the start – through a disclaimer – that the IAF supports equality in the skies. Presently, there are 1,625 women officers in the Indian Air Force. But the scenario was quite different in 1994.
In the very first scene, the film takes us to the Kargil War of 1999 and a few moments later, Janhvi Kapoor, as Gunjan Saxena, sprints towards her chopper to carry out a mission. Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl has been named as cleverly as it has been written. The makers have made their intent clear in the name itself, that the film is first about Gunjan Saxena’s journey, and then about her contribution to the Kargil War. We all know about Gunjan Saxena’s valuable contribution to the war, which made her the first woman Shaurya Chakra-awardee. But director Sharan Sharma’s film focuses on an entirely different battle that she had to fight with the society before getting a chance to serve her country.
Barely 4 minutes into the film, the narrative moves to the past and we are taken to 1984, where a young Gunjan is on a plane with her brother. It is here that she sees a cockpit for the first time, which leaves her awestruck. “Yahan baithne ke liye aapko pilot banna padega,” she is told. And so, the little girl vows to become a pilot.
Excited, she tells her brother about her decision who replies with a joke and says “Girls don’t become pilots,” which is the general attitude of the society. Enter Colonel Ashok Kumar Saxena (Pankaj Tripathi), Gunjan Saxena’s father, the one person who believes in her more than anybody in the world. And continues to do so until he makes sure his little girl is up in the air. In one of the scenes of the film, when Gunjan, frustrated and tired, ponders over the possibility of leaving her career and settling down, her father says, “The solution isn’t to shut yourself in a cage, but to break free and fly.”
And Gunjan does exactly that. She breaks free and flies. With the support of her father, of course. When she becomes an Indian Air Force officer, the battle is only half-won. She has been selected but has a long way to go before she is accepted as a part of the unit. The blatant sexism she faces at the workplace knocks her down at first but Gunjan fights back. Either by creating a changing room for herself when there isn’t one or by raising her voice in a room full of men, telling them that respecting her will not harm their ego. Promise.
The inspiring story of Gunjan Saxena is elevated by a crisp screenplay, impressive cinematography and direction, fitting background score and powerful performances.
Janhvi Kapoor is convincing as the 24-year-old Gunjan. Especially in the emotional sequences. The tears of joy in her eyes when she gets selected for the Indian Air Force feel as real as the tears in her eyes when she faces her first rejection. Janhvi captures our attention whenever she is on the screen. The sequences in which she showed her anger, though, had room for improvement.
Pankaj Tripathi is simply endearing as the calm and supportive father who never differentiates between his son and his daughter. His presence is a delight on the screen and you cannot help but laugh some times and cry the other.
Angad Bedi, as Gunjan Saxena’s brother, delivers an admirable performance. Be it dancing with his sister at a party, being concerned about her safety or saluting her in the climax, the honesty in his eyes stays the same in every scene.
Others, including Ayesha Raza Mishra as Janhvi’s mother, Manav Vij as the encouraging (although difficult at times) boss and Vineet Kumar Singh as a senior officer do full justice to their roles.
Evoking humour in a story that has war and women empowerment can be a challenging task. But not if it is well placed. There are times when you chuckle while watching the film. Especially when our endearing Gunjan talks about Hum Apke Hain Koun and the song that is generating controversies. Gunjan might not know what the Sugar Scandal is but she does know the news on Page 3!
And she looks adorable while talking about the same. The costume designers and make-up artistes score full marks. Janhvi looks authentic throughout the film, with minimalist make-up. She is gorgeous in a traditional outfit while attending the wedding festivities of her friend and makes you look at her with pride in that Indian Air Force uniform.
As the film’s narrative comes full circle, with the first scene being played out again during the climax, you know the world of Gunjan Saxena much better than before and are aware of the battles she had to fight before even entering a warzone. This does not mean that the feeling of patriotism is absent in the film. It is there. And is at its peak towards the end.
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’s effect would have been much greater had it been released in theatres. Nevertheless, it is the perfect pick if you have been feeling lost and need to be redirected towards achieving your goals. And is a must-watch for all the working women out there. The ones who fight silent battles, every day.
3.5 out of 5 stars for the film.
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