Munna on Gunjan Saxena : The Kargil Girl

I was avoiding Gunjan Saxena but Rajen asked me with his glowing review..I have lived almost most of my life in Air Force bases around in India, I knew my comment/review would be critical of Karan Johar style’s movie treatment..I understand, people who have not seen Air Force life, it is a decent time pass movie about women empowerment and gender bias.

commented elsewhere… and #7 was issue and acknowledged by other contemporary female pilots..but was corrected by Air Force…

I didn’t need to go to my Dad to ask if there is something wrong; Most of the Air Force situations are manufactured and incorrect for need to add flesh to script as there was not much story to tell..you have to manufacture situation around inspired event (First female pilot) and show high and lows.
The movie is made like Hallmark TV movie..That. is I cannot say it is bad but it is not good as well..It hovers in mediocrity for most part..There are some good scenes but mostly manipulative..Some sample:
1. the scene after 10th passing at house with all the guests and blurting out ambition in front of everyone.
2. What was brother (who was in Army) doing at Air Force ATC?
3. Even the much lauded Deskbhakht scene…In Air Force no one sheds blood in field..there is no chest thumping like Army.
4. Junior NCOs are shown hiding not to salute woman officer. Well, hospitals have female officers from AFMC Pune and you have to salute them when you enter their room for sick report.
5. Air Force is very English speaking by nature unlike Army especially among Commissioned officers. So all the hostel and Officer’s mess talk among junior officers was out of place.
6. Gunjan scenes with brother at house were most illogical. How many times you want to show same things.
7. Not changing room or toilet for female as if that base was not told about female officer coming. Things flow from top (Air Force Headquarters ) for such initiative (to have female in all male force)..

Jhanvi acts okay when she is vulnerable or quiet but when she has to be expressive, she is all over the place. Pankaj Tripathi is good in authored back role. Young Gunjan was very adorable and she looked very much like older Gunjan in movie.
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I am not suggesting you will not face problem in male dominated force but to suggest there was no recourse for corrective action in chain of command was painful at points.
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Based Shekhar Gupta’s review:

He literally tore apart the film! That leaving base felt was so out of IAF or any force culture and operating rules. I have lived almost 17 years (and next 6-7 year infrequently) on Air bases around India. Literally, the Air Force base is the cleanest place to live in any city. Roads are well marked, clean air, area generally very well maintained. Within those secure bases, the aircraft area is more secure and fenced. I have been only inside that secure areas not more than 5-6 times. I am not privy to these kind of (morning) briefings. But all the quarters, hospital, Mess are less secure area and you can go there. And my comment (above 7 points) was based on those observations.

Actually, I don’t have problem (women empowerment and gender bias) with theme of the movie but it was not shown correctly. There was not much to story but you need good writers to write good screenplay; hence my comment regarding Hallmark/Lifetime movie.

I think as Shekhar pointed real Gunjan probably was happy that a movie is made on her and probably didn’t object to some fictionalization or exaggeration in screenplay.

Having said that I am against banning or any cuts..let it be what it is in spite of Air Force Objections…