The release of “Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” has been surrounded by a lot of controversies. Finally, the film has been released. It discusses one of the most horrifying riots in Indian history that shocked everyone. In 2002, two compartments of the Sabarmati Express train were set on fire at Godhra railway station in Gujarat, burning 59 people alive.
The train was coming from Ayodhya, and most of the passengers were karsevaks. This film is based on that incident and doesn’t let you form an opinion for or against it. “Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” simply presents the scenarios before and after the riots. It talks about the “us versus them” mentality and doesn’t incite hatred towards anyone but discusses an unfortunate common mindset.
Story
The film starts with the incident of bodies being taken to the hospital. You will see many parts of the state of Gujarat burning, and some scenes may make you feel uncomfortable. Beyond the horrifying scenes, the story moves towards an interesting courtroom drama.
In the story, a lawyer named Mahmood Qureshi (played by Ranvir Shorey) represents the Muslim side in the Godhra case, while Ravindra Pandya (played by Manoj Joshi) represents the Hindu side. The film also depicts the influence of the media. The objective of the case is to determine whether the Godhra incident was an accident or a conspiracy. The film primarily relates to the perspectives presented by the Nanavati-Mehta Commission.
In the film, Qureshi, as a lawyer, tries to portray the Godhra train fire incident as an accident, while Pandya describes the entire event as a system failure. A college student named Abhimanyu (played by MK Shivaksh) is also shown in the film, and he begins researching Godhra for his project.
His question stands out as he asks why only the lives of minorities were lost in this incident. The courtroom debate and the screenplay inspired by true events make the film intriguing, but the film, given its title, does not provide a definitive answer to the question of “Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra”
Direction and Writing
MK Shivaksh directed “Accident and Conspiracy: Godhra” in a way that the film never feels boring, but despite all his efforts, the screenplay starts to feel loose towards the end. The film progresses in the courtroom and talks about the past in flashbacks, as Abhimanyu tries to uncover the truth about Godhra. With impactful dialogues, the plot of this film is also strong. Some clips might be difficult for people to watch as they are very gruesome, showing both the living and dead charred in the fire.
This part of the film feels a bit stretched. The director has made a good effort in presenting the facts related to the Godhra train incident. Carefully thought-out dialogues have been used both inside and outside the legal context. Moreover, the director has handled a highly controversial subject very sensitively, but at some points, the direction falls short. The film’s soundtrack is as good as its story. The excellent soundtrack by V. Raks and Yug Bhusal justifies the locations to a large extent. Kailash Kher’s voice in the song “Ho Mangalam” adds to the film’s brilliance.
Acting
“Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” required strong performances from its cast because the film is difficult to watch, and while directing this dramatic courtroom, Shivaksh presented Manoj Joshi and Ranvir Shorey as real cinema stars. Ranvir and Manoj’s performances remained excellent throughout, as the scenes depicted in the courtroom look completely realistic. Hitu Kanodia and Denisha Ghumra also left no stone unturned in proving their acting capabilities. Akshita Namdev is impressive in the role of Tulsi Devi.
Overall
“Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” is an emotional film. People interested in films based on real life will like this film. Fans of courtroom dramas will also be impressed by MK Shivaksh’s film. Despite slightly deviating at some points, this film seems to be a great attempt to narrate the story of Godhra.
Ranvir Shorey’s powerful performance might make you feel sad for the actor as he had to accept a Big Boss proposal due to a lack of opportunities. Considering everything, “Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” is worth watching once and deserves 3 stars.