This is probably the most difficult review of my career. What do you say about a film that completely shatters all misconceptions that come with brand Bollywood and redefines the meaning of cinematic brilliance?
Nishikant Kamat's Mumbai Meri Jaan achieves the same ingenuity and simplicity that can be found in Michelangelo's David, with a story so utterly seeped in realism, there are times when you actually live the moments as they unravel on celluloid. For many of the victims who lived and lost to Mumbai's brutal terrorist attack on July 11, 2006, the retelling will not be easy.
If comparison has to be found, then Paul Haggis' critically-acclaimed Crash comes closest; although, if you haven't journeyed on Mumbai's lifeline – the local trains – then no comparison will ever hold ground.
The film travels through the lives of five protagonists whose lives collide on that one fateful day when Mumbai was ripped apart by seven bombs targeting their suburban railway network.
While the blasts killed 209 people and injured 700 others, many of their stories slipped through the cracks as corruption and politics took over. This film moves away from the generalisation and brings to the fore, individual stories of terror, trauma and ultimately, triumph.
Paresh Rawal is at his best as Constable Tukaram Patil, a seasoned cop on the eve of his retirement. Paired with Sunil Kadam (Vijay Maurya), the two men must deal with the backlash in the aftermath of the blasts. But while they battle the system, there are others who have their own demons to overcome: Suresh (Kaykay Menon), a Hindu fanatic travelling in the following carriage when the first bomb goes off; Nikhil Agarwal (R Madhavan) an environmentalist at heart who can't get past his fear after seeing bodies ripped apart; Thomas (Irrfan Khan), a coffee vendor who finds this tragedy a turning point in his battle for acceptance in society; and Rupali Joshi (Soha Ali Khan), a reporter who becomes the news after her own loss becomes a story.
The film has many harrowing moments that may leave you emotionally shaken, but on some level, it is a tribute to those who fell victim to a senseless tragedy.