Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
Movie Info
Synopsis
Thirty years on from the 1984 Union Carbide plant malfunction, the consequences of which are tragically ongoing, A Prayer for Rain is the powerful and moving story of the Bhopal tragedy, one of the great corporate and environmental scandals of the last half-century. It dramatises the dependence of the local community on the chemical plant that will eventually cause catastrophe, and the series of oversights that led to an event that stands as a benchmark for corporate irresponsibility in the developing world.Wikipedia
Starring Cast
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain Reviews
4
There is a sense of drama in the final moments, in the manner that the gas leak is shot: the chaos at the general hospital, the bodies strewn in the slums, on the hospital steps, in the streets. It's commendable that the film relives the terrible tragedy of the gas leak, but sadly, it has few moments that are extraordinary or even genuinely moving.
5
What makes the film worth your time is the way it states, unequivocally, that the gas need not have leaked if Union Carbide and its employees and its votaries had come together to pull the plug in time.
5
Bhopal A Prayer For Rain is a must-watch, for the sheer gravity of the criminal incident that remains unresolved three decades after it occurred. Also, it blames both the American and Indian sides.Sadly, this film does not offer any new insights into the tragedy. It could have been far more touching with a better research. Nonetheless, the performances and a decent screenplay make it worth a watch.
-
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain tells the story of the worst of times with some needless “cinematic liberties” that make it a lesser movie, but, perhaps, a more palatable one. It begs a sequel a film about how our legal luminaries, led by Fali S. Nariman and Nani Palkiwala, argued in courts for several billable hours paid for by the Union Carbide Corporation, and ensured that Union Carbide had to cough up just $1,000 for every death it caused. It could be titled, Bhopal: A Courtroom Tragedy.
8
...an honest yet haunting film. The images of those who suffered will stay with you for quite some time.
6
It has its shares of flaws and lows, but Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is still a must-see film for the courage of its conviction, if for nothing else.
6
...the film lacks gloss but it still works as an eye-opener. It also depicts how even back then India had morally corrupt politicians who barely spared a thought for the plight of the common man! Somethings don't change. In spite of depicting a film based on true incidents, the film is not a documentary and manages to connect emotionally.
7
Filmmaker Ravi Kumar has captured everything that this drama needed. The feel of Bhopal in the 80s, the slum life, the joy of a man who lands a job at the plant and the disaster, everything if managed well. However the quality of production could have been better.Bhopal - A Prayer for Rain is a story that needed to be told.
3
Inspired by real events and characters, Kumar has said that he hopes to inform the newer generation about the tragedy. Unfortunately, this is not the film that does justice to it.
6
Do not assume that it is a documentary that will bore you with an informative story. This film is a must watch if you wish to know the plight of Bhopal residents, who are still fighting for justice. It is a dose of reality for both Indians and Americans, to learn how they brought on India’s worst chemical disaster.
5
...an average film but surely a onetime watch.
5
The second half is far more gripping and keeps you involved as you witness thousands of our helpless countrymen battling for survival during that dreadful night. We have all heard of the tragedy but watching it unspooling in front of your eyes is bound to disturb you — and also highlights the apathy of the government towards the safety of its citizens.
8
...leaves us with feeling of a deep longing for the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, and for the victims of imperialism anywhere at any time. Come to think of it, while the victims of the tragedy in Bhopal await justice, the only good thing to come out of the tragedy is this haunting dramatic film. Not to be missed.
-
...an excellent film which moves the viewer. It will come in for a lot of critical acclaim but, unfortunately, its box-office results will not match its merits and the acclaim because of lack of face value and awareness among the public. The film deserves entertainment tax-exemption in every state of India.
5
Watch the film for some good performances by the actors, and for a decent interpretation of what might have happened on the night of disaster.
6
This one, directed by a relative newcomer Ravi Kumar, benefits hugely from Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire in its style of presentation—quick camera movements, pacey editing, the screen made vibrant by colourful gunk around unwashed little children… Some of these shots are Third World clichés. But more importantly the film for the most part ends up effectively dramatizing a part fictional, part factual account (reportedly based on Sanjoy Hazarika’s book). It keeps you informed and entertained.
Audience Reviews for Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
-
I know better than to wholly trust what I see in a film. But Ravi Kumar's honest and haunting story of what really happened on December 1984 at the heart of India makes my view on the topic clear. The figures may never be accurately exacted, but the magnitude of the tragedy is explicit. Who's to be blamed? The film says what we want to hear.
Union Carbide is seen adopting poor working conditions from the beginning even when they were alerted of the disastrous effects of MIC (Methyl Isocyanate), the chemical the plant produced, in 1982. Giving the story a dramatic addition of a family, the film takes you on a gradual fact-finding trip as "pure negligence" is termed as the single, great cause of the whole tragedy. Negligence by everyone involved: the government, the UCC, and partially even the employees. Also, structural changes were made to the plant, and as the Carbide called it Indianization, which triggered the leak. The fact that journalism acted without effect puts us in a state of confusion: whether to believe it or not. Had journalism been paid heed like we do now in 2014, Bhopal Gas Tragedy COULD have easily been averted. Many things together caused the tragedy and the only way to right this wrong was to strictly regulate industrial operations, which is still a debatable topic. The compensation was like a honorarium.
The performances by Rajpal Yadav, Martin Sheen & Kal Penn is what drives the film into a suspense thriller. The only sadness we have as an audience is that we can't go back in time and try to delete the incident. A pre-credit montage of the aftermath is the silver lining of the film. It says that Union Carbide never apologized, which is even graver a fact.
BOTTOM LINE: One of the many pleasures while watching this historical drama is that Warren Anderson is dead as a dodo. Recommended!
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES0April 08, 15
