The Friday, we have two movies hitting the theatres, which certainly include Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain. The main cast of the movie include Martin Sheen, Kal Penn, Mischa Barton, Rajpal Yadav and Tannishtha Chatterjee. The movie is directed by Ravi Kumar and produced by Ravi Walia while the cinematography comes from Charlie Wuppermann. The movie is basically a historical-drama, which is based on the set amidst the real-life Bhopal disaster that had occurred in the year 1984 on 2nd of December. The movie, however, was supposed to be released four years before, however, due to participation in a number of film festivals the delays were seen in it, which eventually pushed it in December 2014 in the first week, when the tragedy completes 30 years.
Now, let’s dig deep into the script. Well, in one word, it’s a worthy film for anyone who is keen to get the insight about the Bhopal gas tragedy occurred way back in 1984. The director has left no stone unturned to show the downside of India along with pinpointing the arrogance of American corporate that had the business of death in the name of carbide in the city of Bhopal. The story covers all the aspects, which this tragedy encompasses, showing all the elements, which is responsible in bringing this disaster in the city. At one end, you find arrogant American dealing with the union carbide issue in a very callous fashion, while on the other end; the movie shows the shoe licking Indians who are simply interested in filling up their pockets for their own vested interests. Needless to say, the script is powerful enough to attract every individual who has little interest in this issue, which has been haunting the people of India since last three decades. One of the gripping points of the script is that you would not find any documentary feel while watching the movie.
Now let’s talk about performances, we will start with Rajpal Yadav. He was not seen lately in any Bollywood movies, however, he has done one of the best jobs while showcasing a miserable Indian local who is simply keen to have a better lifestyle. As you look at his character, his performance has been incredible and ironically, he was not given the due credit for the same, which he really deserves. The second comes Kal Penn, who has played the character of a journalist. She tried her best to play the eighties’ journalist in the film but has failed to give a par performance as expected rather hopping inside the flowery shiny shirts. Unfortunately, the director failed to bring out the potentials for which she is known for. Lastly, Martin Sheen was very much smart in playing the character of an arrogant American businessman who is plainly interested in his business and nothing more than that. Lastly, the cameo of Mischa Barton seems too unnecessary one.
Talking about the other aspects of the movie, the first half of the movie is simply the build up of the real story showcasing the night at which the gas leakage happened, whereas as you see the journalist unearthing the big story, the disaster is already in action. The second half simply introduces us with the night of the gas leak wherein you can find some of the best work from the filmmaker. Catching up the right scene of the deaths of a number of locals within 3 days, this ten minute scene has all the potentials to realise the panic found in the incident. The director was successful in capturing the right pulse of Bhopal city along with the aftermath of this tragedy. However, the title A Prayer For Rain only showcases the fact that people are still having high hopes of justice, which is not the case.
Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain Review : The Last Word
First and foremost, it is not a documentary movie, which bring in the boredom with its informative tone. This is a full-fledged movie, which is a must watch for everyone who has some sympathy for the Carbide gas tragedy occurred way back in 1984 and are still fighting for justice. This movie can be called as a dose of reality for both the Americans and Indians to understand the real intensity of country’s worst chemical disaster. For a subtle message of awareness of India’s biggest tragedy, a rating of 3.5 is worthy.
Rating – 3.5
