Netflix, web series “The Railway Men” is about railway workers who, in the wake of the world’s biggest industrial disaster—the Bhopal Gas Tragedy—saved many lives. At the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide facility in Bhopal, the disaster happened on the evening of December 2, 1984. Outstanding performances by the cast R. Madhavan, Divyenndu, Babil Khan, and Kay Kay Menon are the focal points of the series.
In the web series “The Railway Men,” written and directed by Aayush Gupta and directed by Shiv Rawail, Kay Kay Menon plays the Bhopal Junction stationmaster; Babil Khan, an ex-Carbide employee starting a new job at the station; Divyenndu, an employee of Carbide who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; and R Madhavan, a top Railways official who converts his own locomotive, the GM special, into a rescue missile.
The Bhopal gas leak disaster
Rewinding to the Bhopal Gas catastrophe, India went through an unspeakable horror when methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other extremely dangerous compounds like hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide were released into the atmosphere, exposing over lakhs of people to the gas. In addition to killing a large number of local residents, this catastrophe resulted in multiple birth defects in the children born after it.
The Railway Men: What worked for the series?
The makers of The Railway Men are especially deserving of praise for bringing to light the selfless sacrifices made by thousands of people who were saved by unsung heroes—railroad employees. There is ample evidence to suggest that the catastrophe was mostly brought on by deficient safety practices at the facility and inadequate training provided to Union Carbide employees.
Although it is painful to see so many innocent people perish, the industrial disaster has been expertly recreated. The main cast members give outstanding performances. Kay Kay Menon stands out from the rest with his outstanding performance as the station master. He gave his everything to the role, and his selfless efforts to help others are amazing. Divyenudu, who is well-known from Mirzapur, and Babil Khan were formidable and provided Kay Kay Menon with excellent assistance. Sunny Hinduja has done complete justice to his role as a journalist.
With the series, director Shiv Rawali has done a respectable job. Although the crew did a lot of research on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, they over-dramatized the story to make it more compelling for the audience. However, The Railway Men’s merits exceed its shortcomings. The series has also been invested extensively in by YRF Entertainment, and the production values are impressive. Cinematographer Rubais’s images are strong, while Sam Slater’s backing music is amazing.
Enormous performances and incredibly good filming serve as its main supports. The story is set primarily at the Bhopal Junction train station. The protracted takes are the cinematic equivalent of elegant ballet steps, and the coordinated elegance of the camera movements delves deeply into the characters’ tormented thoughts.
The Railway Men: How come it didn’t work?
The Railway Men’s primary issue is its excessive number of subplots. Additionally, the subplots lack a satisfying conclusion. A few very emotional scenes detract a little from the overall impact. The show, however, largely remains close to the incident.
The Railway Men might not fully enthrall you if you enjoy the English movie Chernobyl. Both deal with comparable tragedies, but Chernobyl is an absolute masterpiece. A more intense writing style would have been preferable for Madhavan’s character.
The star cast
Kay Kay Menon leads the cast in this role as the station master, a character haunted by his past. He plays the role fairly masterfully with total assurance. Madhavan is also very good. He portrays a character that enjoys difficulties and occasionally defies authority figures in a subtle way while performing his duties.
Sunny Hinduja plays a journalist who, although anticipating the disaster, was still taken aback by its scope and intensity in one of the most impressive performances of the film. He has a look of both sorrow and intense remorse on his face because he knows that all of that pain could have been avoided if someone had paid attention. If only someone had been willing to be concerned.
In the series, Babil Khan plays a young engineer-turned-railroad worker who becomes an integral member of the team that plans a rescue mission for people left behind at Bhopal Station. The majority of Khan’s portrayal of Imad Riaz’s humanity comes through in his eyes, which express his love for his family and his optimism that they would survive the catastrophe.
Must watch
The performance shows the consequences of industrial pollution on human health years after the events of that horrible night. The Railway Men’s strongest point is that, although presenting side stories, it never wavers from its main idea. Its authentic portrayal using real photos will make your heart skip a beat. This catastrophe could have been prevented; it is not a result of nature.
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