Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Review: Kangana Ranaut throws light on untold side of 26/11 beyond Taj and Leopold

In the last sequence, one nurse says that everyone is talking about Leopold and Taj, where people died, but no one talks about the lives saved at the Cama and Albless hospital. This pretty much sums up Manoj Tapadia's Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata

Starring Kangana Ranaut, the movie captures the smiles and soft moments of nurses who, despite being in the most tense place, found their own little moments in between. And this is what the movie perfectly captures before the nurses and hospital goes through the most terrifying night. 26/11 is one of the darkest days in India's history.

Over the years, many stories have been brought to the big screen from different perspectives, and this time, the movie brings the story of 25 nurses, the unsung warriors, who saved the lives of over 400 patients during the night when death in the form of humans roamed the streets of Mumbai, and two terrorists found their way to Cama Hospital.

Told with simplicity, smiles and courage, this two-hour long film celebrate the unsung warriors before going overboard, it balances the story with emotions, feelings and terror, delivering the movie that is a perfect tribute to the nurses and the hospital staff, who had no idea of what to do and how to do.

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata: What's the story about?

Starting two days after the horrific night unfolded, senior nurse Geeta Gandhare has been called to give a statement against terrorist Ajmal Kasab (Zahid Khan). In a flashback, we see the night as it unfolded. It starts on a bright Mumbai morning, with tea being distributed. Then Geeta, along with her four co-nurses Sheetal Revagade (Girija Oak), Trupti Takle (Smita Tambe), and Babita Adsule (Esha Dey), approaches the senior doctor regarding a junior nurse. The next 30-35 minutes offer a look at the simple, happy lives of these nurses, who work with all their emotion and honesty, doing overtime without any regret. Finding happiness in the tiniest things. Then comes the night when they hear shots fired. At first some mistake them for firecrackers, then for something else, before they finally learn it’s a terrorist attack. After opening fire at CST station, the two terrorists, Abu Ismail (Aditya Mishra) and Ajmal Kasab(Zahid Khan), walk toward Cama Hospital, which is only 400 meters away. Time was limited, and in the rush, with patients, newborns, and the critically ill, the way the group of 25 nurses and support staff acted cleverly and saved lives forms the plot.

Still from Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Photograph: (X)

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata: Kangana shines in this untold story

The first half and second half of the movie capture two different emotions. The first focuses on how important women are, their personal lives as nurses, and what they are losing and gaining. What feels different from other movies about this tragic day is that it doesn’t focus only on that portion, but also tells the backstories of the characters, which builds the connection. However, at moments it does feel stretched because, at the back of your mind, you have that feeling of urgency. But these moments still make you smile. Or if you have watched the trailer, then surely, your expectations are different.

Now come to the second part, which begins with the tension of the situation. The terrorists are in, and two security guards have already been killed. So, it begins with a tense situation, and it aptly maintains that throughout the hour. In simple terms, the movie relies heavily on tension and human emotions, rather than heavy action sequences, blood and dead bodies. The story is more focused on human side and instinctive reaction that they took during the crises. The movie does have the occasion when the dialogues go heroic, little bit of over emotions, and the melodrama in the climax act or when Ranaut as a nurse kisses a patient's head, but all in all, it still manages to stay grounded and calm enough for its message to resonate.

Still from Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Photograph: (x)

Led by Kangana, the movie is not solely or entirely about her. She’s there as the anchor, but the long sequences of the movie also focus on other actors. She has always been one of the finest actors and so has given the commendable performance, but unlike her last few films where the cameras were focused on her, this time the focus has shifted to other nurses, characters, and others.

Still from Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata Photograph: (X)

Apart from Kangana, the other actors, most of them, are Maharashtrian and speak the language, so it also makes the movie feel more grounded with their native dialect, which helps you connect with them. Other characters such as Girija Oak as Sheetal Revagade, Smita Tambe as Trupti Takle, Amrutha Namdev as Divya Bansode, Esha Dey as Babita Adsule, and Priya Berde as Harshada Jorvekar, Asha Shelar as Dr. Maya Kadam (Medical Superintendent), SuhitaThatte as Deena Dange (Matron) and others have given decent performance.

Final Verdict

Tapadia brings the story of nurses to the big screen by understanding the gravity of the subject and the stories of people he's telling, capturing the fear that those women had. At moments, the movie goes overboard with dialogues and actions that may feel unnecessary or overdone. But that’s the little creative liberty that’s always demanded by a film. Having watched so many movies and documentaries on this incident, I can say this movie captures the events with both emotion and fear, alongside moments of warmth.

Apart from the title, (being a little over the top), Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata gains respect for topic it is on and the emotions that it had. This film will make you think about a story, which has remained largely hidden. Runtime is short and that's the best part.

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is in cinemas near you.