A four-episode story inspired by a true event set against the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy, and celebrating the unsung heroes of the Indian Railways who rose to the occasion and saved hundreds of lives.
Director Shiv Rawail and co-writer Aayush Gupta have skillfully crafted a gripping narrative in their debut series, ‘The Railway Men,’ delving into the harrowing events surrounding the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy. It tells of when there was a lethal methyl isocyanate (MIC) leak from Union Carbide factory thus it becomes an impassioned account of human calamity as well as Indian Railways’ unsung heroes who dared themselves on that day of doom.
Iftekaar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon), the devoted chief station master at Bhopal Junction is at its core having served as the lynchpin during this fateful night on 2nd December 1984 in rescue operations.
Express Bandit (Divyenndu), a goon walks into this scene with an aim on making use of commotion for personal gain but eventually contributes to rescue mission. The newly availed engine driver Imaad (Babil Khan) and Central Railways GM Rati Pandey (R Madhavan) rally these railway men at such moments to vacate thousands through railway amid escalating mayhem and hurdles.
As minutes roll into hours, this gravity grows more severe because viewers are left wondering whether or not these railwaymen would be able to do their duty. Simultaneously, local newspaper journalist Jagmohan Kumawat (Sunny Hinduja) goes out against American corporation through his journal warning locals about what is coming next. These all doubts along with his attempts for securing silence are added tensions within emerging troubles.
It also has four episodes, each taking one-hour duration that are spine-chilling and depict the dire consequences of gas leakage in a more striking way. Close-ups reveal that people die instantly while poisonous gases come out through their mouths and they are haunting images. The description of the aftereffects is also realistic.
Powerful performances by R Madhavan and Kay Kay Menon make their characters likable. Divyenndu adds an air of seriousness to his portrayal along with some clever one-liners. Babil Khan, especially in emotional scenes, plays his part unerringly well. It is even notable how he takes on the Bhopali accent impressively, and Juhi Chawla has a distinguished presence despite her limited screen time.
In 1984, ‘The Railway Men’ is one such production which unveils not just as the story about tragic events but shows moral decay among politicians too. Even though it is based on true happenings, it does not adopt a documentary-type style instead it touches feelings of its audience members effectively. This testifies to the bravery exhibited by those affected by adversity and serves as a somber indication that certain societal concerns never change even under disaster circumstances.
