Gunjan Saxena’s colleague and former IAF officer lashes out at makers of her biopic for ‘peddling lies’; calls the Janhvi Kapoor starrer ‘monstrous’

‘Gunjan Saxena’ has received rave reviews from critics and audience but it has also landed into controversy for showing the Indian Air Force’s officers in ‘poor light’. Now, retired Wing Commander Namrita Chandi, who served in the Indian Air Force with Gunjan Saxena has pointed out at the depiction of sexism in the biopic. She has slammed Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for ‘peddling lies’, and also called it a ‘monstrous film’.

In her letter, published on Outlook, Namrita Chandi wrote, “I have myself served as a helicopter pilot and I have never faced the kind of abuse and maltreatment as was portrayed in the movie. In fact, men in uniform are true gentlemen and professionals.” The title of the letter read: “Dear Makers Of ‘Gunjan Saxena’, You Cannot Peddle Lies In The Name Of Creative Freedom.”

She further wrote, “This has more to do with the house of Dharma Productions and of all those penny dreadful story and screenplay writers, who contributed to this monstrous film that has shown us all in the proud blue uniform in very poor light.”

She agreed that initially, “there were teething troubles like no changing rooms or exclusive ladies toilets,” but she was not made to feel uncomfortable. She said that sometimes her ‘brother officers’ would guard standing outside while she changed.

Namrita Chandi also wrote that Srividya Rajan was the first pilot who flew Kargil and not Gunjan Saxena.

She also advised Janhvi Kapoor saying, “Lady, let me advice you, please, never again do a film of this kind if you are a proud Indian woman. Stop showcasing Indian professional women and men in such poor light. I served for full 15 years as a helicopter pilot and can call myself a very proud Indian Air Force veteran. There is no way that I will allow the image of the force to be tarnished like this, whether it is due to creativity or cinematic license.”

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Also Read: ‘Gunjan Saxena’: Indian Air Force objects to its negative portrayal in this Janhvi Kapoor starrer; writes to CBFC & Netflix