'Mission Raniganj' review: Akshay Kumar anchors formulaic yet immersive drama
Tinu Suresh Desai's Mission Raniganj features a large ensemble cast led by Akshay Kumar. Varun Badola, Ravi Kishan, Kumud Mishra, and Parineeti Chopra (special appearance) are just some of the many names that dot this survival thriller set in 1989 in the coal mines of Raniganj. Gritty and immersive, but also formulaic and replete with filmy stock characters, MR is everything all at once.
Film is dedicated to an astounding, lesser-known real story
The film chronicles the chilling incident of 1989 when several miners got entrapped in water-logged coal mines in Raniganj, West Bengal. Engineer Jaswant Singh Gill worked on an iron capsule—six feet tall and 21 inches broad—to lower into the mine and rescue them. MR focuses on this mission, the administrative inefficacies behind the accident, and the challenges the miners faced while being trapped.
The film draws you in from the very beginning
MR charges into action early on, and there's no time for us to breathe as one of the first scenes involves water gushing down the mines and entrapping 71 miners, eventually claiming six. The sound design—perhaps dialed up to the highest decibel—coupled with the imagery of men trapped under the ground sets the stage for what follows subsequently over the next two hours.
Offers rousing, emotional scenes during the climax
MR is embellished with a lot of rousing moments that can move you to tears, and while Gill's valiance remains inimitable, it's also a shame that it took Hindi cinema years to pick up his story. It is tough to not be moved by the rescue scenes, majorly the climax, where, despite knowing Gill wins, we await the next scene with bated breath.
It's gritty because it's a race against time
Majority of the film takes place inside the coal mines (miners are played by Badola and Kishan, among others), and most of Kumar, Mishra, and Pavan Malhotra's scenes are right on site. This helps MR become a chamber film in places; it's already a race against time with lives on the line, and the despondency and darkness of the mines translate well onscreen.
It stays focused on the main track
MR derives its strengths from the fact that it mostly—if not always—chooses a track and stays loyal to it, and we don't have to sit through any unnecessary romance track that's the infamous and cringy bane of multiple Bollywood films. While it's far from perfect, it still manages to stay afloat and offers a gritty, immersive, heart-in-my-mouth experience that comes with immaculate, adrenaline-laced thrillers.
Issues: Areas it could have done better in
As much as I would like to bat for MR, its blinding weaknesses glare at me right in the face. In his effort to make MR less jargon-ish and more filmy and thus viewer-friendly, Desai has carved a place for an unnecessary, ridiculous villain (Dibyendu Bhattacharya). With miners saying their last prayers, time was already a villain here—there was no need for another.
Wobbles in the first half, doesn't care about secondary characters
MR's other problems are the portions in its first half when it meanders here and there trying to desperately find a footing and the absolutely awkward humor that only elicited a frown—and no laughter—from me. Unsurprisingly, Kumar is the soul of MR, but one feels the striking lack of other well-rounded characters, particularly Mishra, who has been cast in perhaps his most forgettable role.
The special effects are far from the best
The most enjoyable survival thrillers, like Fall or 2018 or The Quiet Place achieve excellence by knowing when to mute themselves and when to go full throttle. Sadly, Mission Raniganj seems to have no knowledge of this and huffs and puffs in this department. The tacky CGI is also concerning in places; in the flooding scenes, it's discernible that the water is artificially generated.
Final words: We recommend watching the film
Unfortunately, MR can't fathom its possibilities, especially in places where it throbs with potential. Despite this, it's important not just for Kumar, but also for Hindi cinema because of its awe-inspiring story. Whether you watch it on the big screen or the small, I recommend checking it out at least once for late Gill's fortitude which fails to produce many parallels. Verdict: 3/5 stars.
