Trial by fire is based on a horrible accident that burned Delhi’s well-known movie theatre, Uphaar on June 13, 1997. The incident took 59 lives. Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy struggled to understand how both of their teenage children died in the smoke-filled balcony, the doors to which were either closed or locked, with no emergency lights, no alarm systems, and no assistance from the staff who had fled the building. The Uphaar cinema tragedy led to the creation of an organization, which Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy set out to do.
Review of Trial by Fire: A series based on Uphaar cinema tragedy
The couple’s book of the same name serves as the basis for the Netflix-exclusive, seven-part web series Trial by Fire. The Hindi title “Agniparkeeksha” beautifully captures their unwavering courage, which propelled them forward throughout their journey to seek justice for their children. The uphaar cinema tragedy that shook the entire nation, 57 other people died that day while watching the war film “Border.”
Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha’s Netflix series Trial by fire tells the story of a horrific real tragedy that has been kept a secret for more than 20 years.
Trial by Fire is an enlightening and fascinating portrayal of a catastrophe that Delhi is unlikely to ever forget. The series benefits from a sharp script, an understated yet effective production, and excellent work by the main leads.
Uphaar cinema tragedy – Trauma that one will never forget
The web series subtly and effectively depicts the trauma experienced by a strong and determined Delhi couple who lost their two children in the tragedy on June 13, 1997. Their children, Ujjwal, age 13, and Unnati, age 17, died in the fire. Every time they spoke out against the rich and powerful, including the police who took the longest to file a FIR, the careless state officials, the theatre’s owners, Sushil and Gopal Ansal, who are said to “own half of Delhi,” and the reputable law firms that denied the case, they had to go through a “agnipareeksha.”
The Delhi couple bravely sought to bring the tragedy’s culprits to justice with the help of lawyers and the families of the other victims of the uphaar cinema disaster.
The web series “Trial by Fire” focuses attention on the protracted and difficult battle fought by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy to hold the real estate tycoons who owned the movie theatre accountable for their blatant disrespect for safety regulations.
Trial by Fire – The story that touched the soul.
The writer chooses to enter numerous homes that have lost their relatives and close ones. A grandfather loses seven members of his family, including his 6-month-old granddaughter. He no longer has the funds to cremate them. His neighbors came together to lend a hand. In a similar vein, the show also features the electrician who carried out the emergency repairs that morning. It is skillfully shown how rich people take advantage of them and use them as puppets.
Although the event occurred 26 years ago, the visual retelling is still relevant today. Even if you are not a parent, this web series will be difficult for you to watch. Trial with fire deals with the most intense grief and features a couple who have lived with the emptiness left by their permanently damaged family for 26 long years.
Superb Performances
This is one of the most difficult casting coups to pull off. It entails casting actors to play real-life people involved in the terrible tragedy. Rajshri Deshpande is a performer who has mastered the skill of saying the most with the fewest number of words. Although her outbursts are less intuitive than the ones we are used to, they are nevertheless strong and intensely felt.
Abhay Deol’s portrayal of a mourning character is trying to save the castle from falling apart at the same time. The actor executes his profession so effectively that he never appears to be a character actor. He is really good at becoming Shekhar.
With performances that seem sincere and have a tremendous strength hidden beneath them, Deol and Deshpande carry the entire series. The characters suffer differently since they are two distinct individuals. Shekhar makes an effort to be as tough as his status as a man demands him to be, but he simply falters and succumbs to rage and despair. Neelam gives in to the despair very immediately. Later, their suffering becomes as intense as their desire to punish those responsible for the fire.
Other characters
Two significant roles in the “Trial by Fire” web series are given to famous actors Rajesh Tailang and Ashish Vidyarthi. The former is portrayed as Veer Singh, a member of the Delhi Electricity Board who is victimised since he was the one who fixed the transformer that blew up and ignited the Uphaar cinema fire.
In the web series Trial by fire, Ashish Vidyarthi plays a dry fruit importer who acts as a shady intermediary between the powerful guys looking to hide their tracks and the relatives of the victims, who are easily swayed and content with letting the tragedy go and going on. Without even trying, both actors are fantastic.
The gender relations seen in “Trial by Fire” provide another crucial depth to the story. The bond between Neelam and Shekhar is the most important of these. Both are equally determined to avoid leaving anything to chance.
What Isn’t Working:
Even if everything is as vivid as it can be, there are two separate tales that work but do not fully make sense when combined. The parallel plot in the Rajesh Tailang-played electrician’s story serves the overall goal but appears off-course overall.
Similar to this scenario, the one with Ratna Pathak Shah and Anupam Kher does nothing more than add an emotional aspect and leaves the viewer hanging.
Direction took the heart away.
Technically speaking, the direction of the series based on uphaar cinema tragedy is excellent. Nair knows precisely where to place the camera and how close it needs to be in order to let us connect to the characters on a more psychological level. The series perfectly captures the protagonists’ desperation and anxiety. The last moments of the show also get really disturbing as we replay some situations that should not have happened. This amazing effort shows how the Indian film industry has so much more to offer than just Bollywood.
Trial by Fire is a brilliant adaptation of a terrible tragedy based on Uphaar cinema. The book makes an effort to put you in the characters’ shoes in order to help you understand how these people feel and still feel after all these years. Deol Deshpande’s performances are worthy of praise, and any opportunity to do so should be taken. The pace and caliber of the series’ production make it ideal for binge-watching. The Trial by fire series based on true event is among the top Netflix selections this month.
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