The Railway Men Review: Series delves into the harrowing events surrounding the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy
The Railway Men Web Series Rating: 4 Stars
Finally watched The Railway Men series on Netflix. So, let’s analyze the cast, release date, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this web series.
Cast: R. Madhavan, Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu, Babil Khan, Sunny Hinduja and Juhi Chawla Mehta
Director: Shiv Rawail
Release Date: 18th November 2023 (Netflix)
Duration: 4 Episodes/ 55 Minutes
Story: Series is set in the backdrop of the devastating 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy in the Union Carbide factory located in the center of the city. We are shown that the city of Bhopal will be covered by a fatal gas in a matter of just a few hours. And before time is up, we are introduced to three of the ‘Railway Men.
On 2nd December 1984, an ex-truck driver at the Carbide factory turned Railway worker on his first day of job Imad Riaz (Babil Khan) impresses the station master Iftekaar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon) with his sharp observations. At the same night, he bumps into a mysterious RPF constable Balwant Yadav (Divyenndu) who is none other than a notorious bandit who loots passengers on the train. The bandit has learned that more than crore rupees are stored in the locker in Iftekaar’s cabin.
There is also a fearless journalist Jagmohan Kumawat (Sunny Hinduja) who is hell bent on exposing the Union Carbide factory. The factory has violated several norms and Kumawat wants to punish the relevant authorities. is also hand-in-gloves with Kamruddin (Dibyendu Bhattacharya), the manager at Union Carbide, who has promised to send the former a 1982 report that proves that Union Carbide has cut corners, thereby putting the whole of Bhopal at risk.
Meanwhile, Iftekaar is worried as the communications system is down at the station. MIC starts leaking at the factory. The gas spreads around the city, leading to death. It creates chaos at Bhopal Jn. Iftekaar asks the survivors to proceed to the waiting room and shut its doors and windows. Sadly, the communication system is still down and he’s unable to inform the nearby stations that the incoming trains should not be allowed at Bhopal.
Thankfully at Itarsi Junction, Rati Pandey (R Madhavan) who is GM of Central Railways arrives and he realizes the gravity of the situation. Instead of doing nothing, he decides to help Bhopal passengers though it can lead to his death. What happens next forms the rest of the series.
Positives
1. Excellent Performances
2. Screenplay
3. Story
4. Direction
5. Background music
Negatives
1. Climax
2. Length
3. Only 4 episodes
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I have watched the trailer of this series planned to watch this series in my free time as loved the trailer and its based on true events of famous Bhopal gas tragedy.
Series is based on railway workers who saved many lives during the 1984 gas tragedy at the chemical company Union Carbide India Limited’s plant in Bhopal. Inspired by the efforts of station master Ghulam Dastagir and his team at the Bhopal Junction railway station on the night of the tragedy.
The Railway Men story centered on the lethal methyl isocyanate (MIC) leak from the Union Carbide factory, unfolds as a compelling account of human tragedy and the unsung heroes of the Indian Railways who risked their lives in the face of an unspeakable disaster. The four hourly episodes provide a spine-chilling experience, vividly depicting the horrifying consequences of the gas leak. The close-up shots capturing the instantaneous deaths and the haunting images of poison emanating from people’s mouths leave a lasting emotional impact. The realistic portrayal of the after-effects of the gas leak adds another layer of depth to the narrative. not only serves as an eye-opener to the tragic events of 1984 but also sheds light on the moral corruption within the political landscape. Despite being based on true incidents, the series avoids a documentary-style approach, successfully forging an emotional connection with the viewers. The way the industrial disaster has been recreated is terrific, and it is gut-wrenching to see many innocent souls losing their lives. As the people of Bhopal didn’t even know what was happening around them, they started fighting among themselves, leading to absolute chaos, and all these scenes will move us to tears. The performances of the lead cast are splendid. Shiv Rawail’s direction is exemplary and it’s difficult to believe that it is helmed by a first timer.
On the flipside, the main problem with The Railway Men is that it has too many subplots. Most of them are not handled well and add up to the show’s length. The subplots don’t have a proper ending, either. A few scenes are over-dramatized, and this hinders the impact to an extent. The pacing gets slow in a few instances. The track of the swimmer is needlessly forced. A few scenes were massy in spirit but in terms of execution, they won’t make viewers break into applause. The climax scene in the graveyard must have happened but looks a bit far-fetched.
Overall, series is about the unsung heroes who laid down their lives for others during the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. It is a perfect tribute to the courage of those who faced adversity and a stark reminder that, even in the face of calamity, some societal issues remain unchanged. It makes you feel the pain and pathos of the people who were present in Bhopal during that time. My View on this web-series Highly Recommended.
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