…can best be described as a brutal but honest attempt on the part of its makers to capture on the celluloid the chaos associated with the Bhopal gas tragedy. It’s not great cinema but it’s definitely thought-provoking.

The climactic scenes of mass hysteria and death have some powerful moments and make you wonder why we don’t remind ourselves of this tragedy more often. But apart from the provocative end, Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain is a wasted opportunity.

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.

The incident itself was of course unfortunate, and Bhopal – A Prayer for Rain brings about the events that led up to the eventual disaster in an engaging format.

There is an attempt to whip up melodrama by intercutting the gas leak with a wedding and there could have been many other angles to the story but the camera doesn’t linger on the desperation to cash the poignancy. Kumar’s approach is neutral as he recreates the sensory experience of that ill-fated night. Unlike Carbide he doesn’t devalue death.

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.

Despite the cast and solid performances, the film doesn’t quite get it together. As is often the case, there is a yawning gap between the good intentions of a film, and the way it actually pans out!

…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.

…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.

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.

…an extraordinary testament of human tragedy. It probes deep into the lives of the victims of the 1984 industrial disaster. Ravi Kumar deftly sheds light on the corruption and negligence of the higher authorities, which led to one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. Watch the film for its dramatic essence and the Rajpal Yadav’s acting prowess.

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.

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.

This isn’t an easy event to storify, because it is even harder to watch. While much of it merely lends grainy well-cut images to pages we’ve been hesitant to read about, this is a film that shouldn’t be escaped.

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.

…an honest yet haunting film. The images of those who suffered will stay with you for quite some time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

…an average film but surely a onetime watch.

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.

…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.