The film was based on the real-life story of its titular character, one of the first female pilots in the Indian Air Force. She and Flight Lieutenant Sreevidya Rajan were the first women to fly during the Kargil War of 1999. The film began with a message from Gunjan Saxena and her brother Anshuman to their mother Kirti Saxena. The message read - "Ma, this story begins with you and is because of you.".
The film was scheduled to be released in March 2020 but was postponed to April 2020. It couldn't eventually be released in theatres due to the outbreak of the COVID pandemic and was released directly on Netflix in August 2020.[1][2]
The film got embroiled in a controversy over its portrayal of gender discrimination in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF was the first to react after the film's release on Netflix. It sent a letter to the CBFC "objecting to certain scenes in the movie" in which "it has been portrayed in undue negative light". Some IAF officers, including women officers, also raised objections. Sreevidya Rajan, who served alongside Gunjan Saxena on whom the film was based, was disappointed that the film completely ignored her. Retired Wing Commander Namrita Chandi accused the filmmakers of peddling lies and slammed them for not crediting Sreevidya Rajan and for their depiction of misogyny in the IAF. Following the complaints of IAF and its personnel, the central government approached the Delhi High Court and sought an injunction against the streaming of the film. When the court asked for Gunjan Saxena's views, she said that the prejudice she had faced was not institutional. She also clarified that she did not have the opportunity to provide her feedback to the filmmakers. Eventually, the court refused to intervene and asked the Centre to sort out their issues over the film directly with the filmmakers.[3][4][5][6][7]
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death by suicide in June 2020 triggered a public debate over nepotism in the Hindi film industry. Many believed that Rajput had lost out on opportunities because filmmakers preferred to cast children of industry insiders. This film got caught up in the debate since it featured Janhvi Kapoor, the daughter of Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, in the lead role. Some speculated that Karan Johar and Dharma Productions were not listed in the film's trailer and poster because of the public backlash against it over the nepotism issue.[8]
This was Sharan Sharma's directorial debut.
Song
Rekha O Rekha Jabse Tujhko Dekha - The song's hook lyrics were perhaps inspired by a song from the film "Adhikar" (1971). That aside, its tune and lyrics were original.[9]