Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Girija Oak Godbole
Director: Manoj Tapadia
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Movie Review Synopsis:
BHARAT BHHAGYA VIDDHAATA is the story of a brave hospital staffer. The year is 2008. Gita Madhav Gandhare (Kangana Ranaut) works as a nurse at Mumbai’s Cama and Albless Hospital. She is assigned the night shift on November 26. All is going well when suddenly, she and her colleagues hear gunshots. At first, they assume it’s the sound of fireworks. But when her husband Kedar (Prasad Oak) learns of a terror attack on TV near her hospital, he immediately informs Gita about it. Gita and the nurses take charge; they, along with the security team, decide to shut the gates as well as switch off the lights so that the terrorists would hopefully assume that it’s an abandoned structure and not a fully functional hospital. However, it’s too late and the terrorists, Abu Ismail (Aditya Mishhra) and Ajmal Kasab (Zahid), spot an old guard, Babbanrao Zambre (Vijay Gokhale). They kill him and enter the hospital. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Movie Story Review:
Manoj Tapadia's story is inspired by true events and focuses on a lesser-known episode. Manoj Tapadia's screenplay builds up well but falters during the crucial second half. Manoj Tapadia's dialogues are conversational and witty. Many one-liners are in Marathi and this would restrict the film’s audience outside Maharashtra.
Manoj Tapadia’s direction is average. To give credit where it’s due, he neatly establishes the hospital and the principal characters. One is mostly acquainted with them by the time the attack begins. A few scenes are nail-biting and keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Viewers will be amazed to learn of the courage shown by the nurses in their moment of crisis and how they saved the lives of hundreds of patients and their relatives. The director further adds to the tension as two expectant mothers go into labour while the terrorists roam around the hospital, trying to find a target to kill.
On the flipside, the film takes a little more time than necessary to introduce the characters and the hospital setting. It should have ideally gone on a high in the second half, but at this point, it gets confusing. Audiences will struggle to understand which nurse is hiding on which floor. The makers should have ideally mentioned the floor number during each of these sequences; it would have been of great help. Moreover, the audience might expect more tense moments, but the terrorist track gets over earlier than expected. A web series on this incident, MUMBAI DIARIES 26/11, has already been released and it was far more gripping. Also, a few developments are puzzling. Why were there no doctors when the attacks happened? We only see nurses and other working staff. Secondly, did Gita ever get a proper look at Kasab, enough to correctly identify him in the identification parade?
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Movie Review Performances:
Kangana Ranaut delivers a commendable performance. One constantly roots for her as her character is presented as a righteous, giving person and hence, you want her to emerge victorious. Girija Oak Godbole (Sheetal), Rasika Agashe (Mohini) and Smita Tambe Dwivedi (Trupti) have important roles and leave a mark. Suhita Thatte (Deena; matron) and Asha Shelar (Dr Maya Kadam; medical superintendent) are memorable. Prieya L Berde (Harshada) and Esha Dey (Babita) are decent and don’t get much scope. The same goes for Aditya Mishhra, though Zahid gets to shine. Prasad Oak, Sayaji Shinde (Inspector Kamble), Vijay Gokhale and Sunil Palwal (ACP Dayanand Sathe) do well in small roles.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata movie music and other technical aspects:
The songs are poor; however, the title song is a bit better. Aman Pant's background score adds to the tension.
Ayan Sil's cinematography is satisfactory and the shot of the open-well staircase in the second half is imaginative. Sunil Rodrigues' action is not too gory. Vikrant Shahi and Mayur Mulam's production design is well-researched, while Gayatri Thadani's costumes are straight out of life. Dev Rao Jadhav's editing is sharp.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, BHARAT BHHAGYA VIDDHAATA tells an inspiring and lesser-known story from the 26/11 attacks and benefits from Kangana Ranaut’s earnest performance. However, the weak second half, confusing narrative and lack of gripping moments prevent it from becoming a hard-hitting thriller. At the box office, its appeal will remain limited, mainly to select audiences in Maharashtra. The lack of hype will also prove detrimental.