Last Friday at the movies was all about consent, from Bandar to the controversial forced-kiss sequence in Peddi. This Friday, however, filmmakers are turning their attention to events that changed
India forever. Beginning with the Partition of 1947 in Main Vaapas Aaunga, moving to India's economic crisis of 1991 in Governor, and culminating with the 26/11 terror attacks in Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata.
The latter revisits that horrific night in Mumbai 18 years ago through the eyes of a workforce whose contribution in times of crisis can be every bit as vital as that of the doctors tending to the wounded. At its heart is Kangana Ranaut's character, inspired by real-life nurse Anjali Kulthe, whose bravery, along with that of her fellow nurses, helped save around 400 lives amid the chaos of the attacks.
Director-writer Manoj Tapadia had compelling material to work with from the outset. 26/11 has been the subject of several films and shows long before Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata. From Ram Gopal Varma's The Attacks of 26/11 and Dev Patel's Hotel Mumbai to Adivi Sesh's Major, filmmakers have revisited that horrific night from multiple perspectives. Nikhil Advani's Mumbai Diaries perhaps comes closest in spirit, as it too focused on the medical caregivers who found themselves at the heart of the crisis. Yet Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata manages to carve out its own identity by narrowing its focus to the nurses who became unlikely heroes in the midst of danger.
Ritesh Shah's screenplay keeps the narrative moving with confidence, ensuring there are virtually no moments where the viewer's interest wanes. He manages to create a nail-biting thriller out of familiar territory, and that works well on the big screen. The early portions of the second half are packed with moments that draw you into the tension unfolding inside the hospital.
The cinematography by Ayan Sil is strong. His camera captures the harrowing few hours at Cama Hospital with immediacy, making viewers feel as much a part of the action as those on the ground. Whether navigating crowded corridors initially, and eventually dimly lit wards or moments of panic, the visuals sustain the tension.
Where the film falters, however, is in its use of music by GV Prakash Kumar. The intention is understandable: to make the film more accessible and emotionally engaging for a wider audience. But during the attack sequences, the storytelling occasionally shifts into overtly heroic territory. The result feels like a deliberate filmi punch. Also, there's so much packed into the last hour that the interest begins to wane, and by the climax, the emotions don't hit as hard as they should. The ending allows it to redeem the shortcomings.
Performance wise, Kangana slips into the role effortlessly. The film's world-building is so convincing, and the relationships between the nurses and the families they care for so naturally drawn, that you are invested in them almost from the very first scene. Her Marathi accent occasionally feels a bit obvious.
What works particularly well is the makers' conscious decision not to turn the story into a one-person show. Kangana may be the biggest name in the cast, but Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata understands that this is ultimately a story of collective courage. There are extended stretches where the spotlight shifts to the other nurses and hospital staff, allowing their experiences and sacrifices to take centre stage. The rest of the cast does a swell job.
Overall, what stays with you after Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is not the terror of the night, but the courage displayed in the face of it. The film serves as a reminder that heroism often wears a uniform far less celebrated than those of soldiers and commandos. In this shift from guns to gauze, it finds its power.
Rishabh Suri writes for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement HT City. From Bollywood to Hollywood, from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam films, to OTT and television- he covers it all.