Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain

How many of you know about Bhopal gas tragedy (a gas leak incident which is considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster) that took place on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals & killing as many as 10,000 people in one night. The toxic substance made its way in and around the shanty towns located near the plant. Many of us know & many still don't know what happened. Though there are many articles which lay the event on the whole tragedy.

"Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain" is a historical-drama movie from Sahara Movie Studios and Rising Star Entertainment which tells the real story of the same gas tragedy. The movie showcases the real shocking events revolving around the Union Carbide India Limited, its employees & the people residing around. It begins with the perspective of a young rickshaw driver who gets a job at Union Carbide which is a risky & tough job which required long working hours. It was noticed that the managers at the plant used to ignore the safety protocol always and still people who knew about it were holding on to their jobs as it was their only source of income. How this negligence took a disastrous turn which lead to post effect of the tragedy & how the political scene was pre & post tragedy, is the plot of the movie.

The casting, screenplay & the treatment given to the movie is honest, genuine. The cast has given their best & the sincerity is reflected on-screen. As the events progresses, it really makes you sad to see so many human lives were affected after the leak. It also showcases the good work of the Doctors which tried every bit to save the affected even though they faced the difficulties. Its the first movie made on this tragedy & by this, now every person will know what went wrong, what were the post effects & whats going on with the case. As being the Citizen of India, you want to know about the whole tragedy, then this is not to be missed.

Director: Ravi Kumar Cast: Martin Sheen, Mischa Barton, Kal Penn, Fagun Thakrar, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Rajpal Yadav, Vineet Kumar, Lisa Dwan, Manoj Joshi Rating: 4.5/5

Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is a biopic about the Bhopal gas tragedy that occurred on December 2nd, 1984. The movie covers the events leading up to the gas tragedy & the actual tragedy itself. A journalist named Motwani(Kal Penn), wants to expose Union Carbide Corporation for building a chemical industrial plant right in the middle of Bhopal. He takes the help of American journalist Eva Gascon(Mischa Barton), to bring down Union Carbide & its CEO, Warren Anderson(Martin Sheen), before it's too late. The movie also revolves around Dilip(Rajpal Yadav), who works for Union Carbide.

Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is a brilliant film! The first half of the movie is a little dragging. However, the second half of the movie more than makes up for it. The scenes of the film involving the gas leak & its effects are gut wrenching & heart breaking at the same time. I'm glad that director Ravi Kumar did not shy away from showing us what exactly happened on that fateful night. The performances are the highlight of the film. Kal Penn is spectacular as Motwani. Martin Sheen is outstanding as Warren Anderson. Mischa Barton is impressive as Eva Gascon. However, the standout performer of the film is without a doubt, Rajpal Yadav as Dilip. Yadav's character is the heart & soul of the film & can make us experience a whirlwind of emotions. Tannishtha Chatterjee is good as Leela. The supporting characters are great as well. Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is a must watch.

The director Ravi Kumar has created a timeless masterpiece. After 30 years, the facts remain and the story revisited. Bhopal a Prayer for Rain, is not only beautifully written but the filmography delivers the reality of the topic and experiences. Take yourself back 30 years and live the disaster, feel the laughter and the pain.

Everyone should be educated and acknowledge by this film because the fact of Bhopal industrial disaster still live in many lives today not only in memories but especially those with physical and mental defects, this film will strike you to your core and bring out your tears, a definitely must see.

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? YES

One of the best films I have ever watched. Bhopal wasn't just an industrial disaster; it was a human one. It reflects the failure of design, implementation, and a neglect for the inherent humanity found in all of us. These actors brought this story to life and made it human. Rajpal Yadav shows us as the protagonist the difficult position community members were placed in- likely unaware of the extraordinary risk they were taking in working for Union Carbide. Mischa Barton and Kal Penn reflect what more journalists must stand for - pursuit of the truth. These three actors brought characters to life that show the good in people- and what we are all fighting for. In doing so, they have created an emotionally charged film that forces us all to reflect on what kind of world we want to live in. Bhpoal: A Prayer for Rain is a must watch.