The Railway Men Review: Kay Kay Menon, Babil Khan's show has more misses than hits

One of worst manme disasters that India has ever witnessed, Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984, is recounted in Shiv Rawail's new gripping saga Railway Men, which is as much invested in its politics as it is in narrating heroics of common folks in face of versity. It's brimming with emotions as horrors of Bhopal tragedy unfold while nation is on edge in aftermath of assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and anti-Sikh riots. city n becomes a microcosm of all that's vile and has engulfed nation.

Hot Take

Railway Men has a somber tone. director wastes no time in hinting that officials employed at pesticide manufacturing Union Carbide plant are eir corrupt or hand-tied due to limited resources. se scenes are interspersed with dwellers in Bhopal and foreshow ir doom. frames are dipped in green, colour of chemical, stressing furr sense of foreboding. dimly lit city, dark alleyways and shot of fumes escaping factory are eerie, to say least.

It's clear since onset that tragedy will be milked to elicit emotions. But Shiv Rawail tres a fine line between evoking empathy for those trapped and staging stories of unsung heroes during gas leak. However, track of Sikhs being hunted down on train for massacre ds a layer of suffering that doesn't sit well. In those moments, one can't help but feel that show has a whole lot of tragedy awaiting audience. In such moments, this survival drama begins to verge on horror. That's when it keeps getting more grim than one would like it to be.

Is Railway Men worth hype?

Iftekhar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon) as Station Master in Bhopal is one of key characters who sees his city through gas leak. In his endeavours, he is assited by Im Riaz (Babil Khan). story requires m to turn into reluctant heroes. scenes where Iftekhar tries to get a grip on what's unfolding and magnitude of it are impressive. camera floats in air, with his back against wall and a sense of helplessness and disbelief appears on his face. Menon channels his character well and maintains a balance between being a dutiful citizen and one burdened by saviour complex (he is haunted by visions of a child he could not save in a train accident).     

 Im's friend was killed by same gas that now poses a threat to entire city. His direct jump into rescue mission comes without question. Divyenndu's character could have given show an edge as he is a bandit whose greed drove him to city and he is stuck with no means to escape. actor, however, leans into his Mirzapur act and shes of Munna Bhaiya are a bit too recurring. At times, he struggles to justify his place in narrative. same is case with R Mhavan, who jumps into narrative in an anti-climactic manner.

By showcasing leak early on, makers are left to rely on rescue mission too much. death sequences, of people choking and dying by scores, evoke anxiety and keep you on edge. However, y get tiring after a point. When scenes of rioters follow, tragedy only amplifies.

technical aspects of show -- cinematography and direction -- bolster narrative. y make one claustrophobic and feel trapped in a place from where re is no escape. use of music is minimal and helps tragedy hit home hard.      

Stream it or skip it?

Railway Men has pacing issues. It is one of negatives that is difficult to overlook. Given its genre of disaster drama, slow unfolding of events really starts to feel burdensome. However, performances of Babil and Menon help you sit through close to 4-hour runtime of show spre over four episodes. fact that it is based on true events reels you in as you witness one of darkest chapters in India's history.

Bottomline

Railway Men has its highlights but is len with misses too. Sometimes latter overpowers, making it a slow and unrewarding watch. H episodes been a bit shorter, series would have come out to be crispier and a satisfying watch.

Rating- 2.5/5 stars