'The Railway Men' review: Hard-hitting series captures horrors of 1984
What's the story
The horrific memories of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy have returned with the release of The Railway Men. The series is surely to leave a lasting impact on the viewers.
Inspired by the gas tragedy, this Netflix series was released a couple of weeks before the 39th anniversary of the tragic incident.
It's one of the finest series/films made on the incident.
Story
These 4 men are at the center
A station master (Kay Kay Menon), a loco pilot (Babil I Khan), and a (con)stable (Divyenndu) are at the center of the crisis to save people from the Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas that leaked from the Union Carbide factory.
Meanwhile, GM, Central Railways (R Madhavan) takes it upon himself to ride a relief train when the system tries to stop him from doing so.
Performances
Series rides high on compelling performances
Whether it's the four leading men, or the smaller roles of Raghubir Yadav, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, and Juhi Chawla, the series is a stunning show when it comes to performances.
While it's a no-brainer that Madhavan and Menon have delivered a compelling and compassionate act, Khan is an equal show-stealer.
Without a doubt, every actor is a reason why acting is the strongest factor here.
Writing
Crisp writing makes it watch-worthy
The four-part series also brings back the horror of the anti-Sikh riots that were still fresh when the manmade disaster struck Bhopal. Both incidents have been carefully weaved while the gas tragedy continues at the center.
It doesn't only show what happened after the leak, but also its long-lasting health impacts on the survivors and their children with strong visuals.
Production design
Keeping it realistic with visuals
Debutant director Shiv Rawail has recreated scenes with reference images and videos.
The desperate crowd at Bhopal junction to board the train, an aerial view and inside images of the Union Carbide factory situated in Old Bhopal, and also scenes of victims appear as good as real. It only goes to prove the minute details that were kept in mind to make it authentic.
What didn't work
It loses scores on BGM
The Railway Men is a crisp series that almost never loses its plot.
However, the makers have taken creative liberty by adding extra drama and background stories for the characters, which on occasion, makes it a tad bit boring.
Having said that, while dramatization is still alright, it's the background score that makes very little to zero impact on the storytelling.
Verdict
A befitting tribute overall
The series is centered only on what unfolded at the Bhopal junction on the intertwining night of December 2-3. But it also shows glimpses of the plight of the survivors after the gas leak.
A scene where a widow talks to a journalist about her living conditions and compensation pinches hard.
By all means, it's a must-watch.
Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars.