Neerja joins pantheon of IIFA's Best Picture award winners

Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor starrer hit movie Neerja that released in 2016, has bagged the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2017 in the category of best picture. Neerja is a real-life story of the late 23-year-old model turned air-hostess, Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while saving the lives of the passengers of Pan Am Flight 73, which was hijacked by four terrorists in Karachi in 1986. The super hit movie is helmed by Ram Madhvani. 'Neerja' beat some tough competitors like  Pink, Udta Punjab, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story and Sultan to bag the award. The official Twitter handle of IIFA shared the news on July 16, 2017.

In winning the Best Picture award, Neerja joins a pantheon containing some of Bollywood's best films of the millennium. Here are the other members - 

1. Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2016): 

The movie directed by Kabir Khan tells the story of how an Indian man takes a six-year-old dumb Pakistani girl, who got separated from her parents, back to he hometown.

2. Queen (2015): 

 'Queen' is a perfect example of woman empowerment. This is the story of Rani (Kangana) who after being dumped by her fiance on the eve of her wedding day, sets on her honeymoon to Paris on her own and how she rediscovers herself.

3. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2014): 

This movie is yet again a biopic on the legendary athlete Milkha Singh and narrates some untold events of his life.

4. Barfi! (2013): 

Anurag Basu's Barfi tells the story of a dumb and deaf Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) and his silent relationship with an autistic girl Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra)

5. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2012): 

This movie revolved around the story of three best friends and despite their busy work schedules, they go on a trip together just to rediscover themselves 

 6. Dabangg (2011):

This light comedy revolved around the story of the daring cop Chulbul Pandey and how he takes up the mission to remove corruption from his city.

7. 3 Idiots (2010): 

This movie was based on Chetan Bhagat's famous novel 'Five Point Someone'. The story revolved around three engineering students and how they learn to follow the path of excellence rather than success. 

8. Jodha Akbar (2009):  This epic historical drama focused on the deep bond of love between the greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar: The Great and his Hindu wife Jodha Bai. 

9. Chak De! India (2008): 

This movie revolved around the story of a Hockey coach and his journey to prove himself right infront of the people who accused him of being a traitor and he proves this by taking the Indian national women's Hockey team to the world cup final

10. Rang De Basanti (2007): 

This movie showed patriotism at it's best as even the most modern youths of the country can fight against corruption when they lose their friend in a tragic accident

11. Black (2006): 

This movie was again a biopic on the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller and is one of the blockbuster movies considered till date  

12. Veer-Zaara (2015):

This movie was a passionate love story of an Indian Air Force officer 'Veer and a spirited Pakistani girl Zaara and how they fight to save their love despite barriers

13. Munna Bhai MBBS (2004):

 This movie revolved around the story of Munna (Sanjay Dutt) a local goon and in order to fulfill his father's wish of becoming a doctor, how he ends up taking admission in a medical college which follows a hilarious journey of Munna.

14. Devdas (2003): 

This movie based on the famous novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Devdas and it tells the story of how a young and passionate lawyer drives himself to the path of self-destruction due to losing his love

15. Lagaan (2002): This movie was India's official entry to the academy awards and it told the story of a young villager Bhuvan and his team and their journey to stop the villagers to pay extra tax by playing the English game of cricket.

16. Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2001): This was Hrithik Roshan's breakthrough debut film along with Ameesha Patel and it tells the story of how Sonia (Ameesha) and Raj (Hrithik)  sets out to find the reason behind Sonia's former boyfriend Rohit (again Hrithik)

17. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (2000): This movie told the story of a free-spirited Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and her secret relationship with Sameer (Salman Khan) and when her family comes to know about this they marry Nandini off to Vanraj(Ajay Devgn). It's the story of how Vanraj takes Nandini to Italy to make her meet Sameer.  

That's quite some list. Which is your favourite film of the lot? And in your opinion, would Neerja make the top-3? Let us know!