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

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

Hot Take

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

It's clear since the onset that tragedy will be milked to elicit emotions. But Shiv Rawail treads a fine line between evoking empathy for those trapped and staging the stories of the unsung heroes during the gas leak. However, the track of the Sikhs being hunted down on the train for massacre adds a layer of suffering that doesn't sit well. In those moments, one can't help but feel that the show has a whole lot of tragedy awaiting the 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 The Railway Men worth the hype?

Iftekhar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon) as the Station Master in Bhopal is one of the key characters who sees his city through the gas leak. In his endeavours, he is assited by Imad Riaz (Babil Khan). The story requires them to turn into reluctant heroes. The scenes where Iftekhar tries to get a grip on what's unfolding and the magnitude of it are impressive. The camera floats in the air, with his back against the 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 the visions of a child he could not save in a train accident).     

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

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

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

Stream it or skip it?

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

Bottomline

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

Rating- 2.5/5 stars