Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra Review

On the morning of February 27, 2002, the Sabarmathi Express, returning from Ayodhya to Ahmedabad, was stopped near the Godhra railway station. A mob set fire to the train, trapping and killing 59 passengers, including 25 women and 25 children. This incident, seen as the trigger for the subsequent anti-Muslim riots, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 2,000 people and the displacement of 1,50,000. The Nanavati-Mehta Commission concluded that the burning was a "planned conspiracy", not an act where some individuals set fire to the train in a fit of frenzy. Accident Or Conspiracy: Godhra retells the Commission's inquiry and report in a documentary-style courtroom drama.

For the most part, the movie is told in flashback through three parallel narratives: 1) a student who lost his family in the 2002 riots, trying to find the truth behind the Godhra train burning; 2) the Nanavati Commission court proceedings, where one party tries to prove the train burning was an accident, and another party gathers evidence that the incident was a planned conspiracy; and 3) the Godhra Station Master, whose family was burnt in the Godhra incident, and station RPF personnel telling the story firsthand. There's some incoherence in putting together these narratives.

Cinematically, the movie is average, akin to true-crime TV series such as Saabdhaan India or Crime Patrol. However, the movie exposes its propaganda in binaries. On one hand, it paints the Muslim community in a negative light. Everything related to them is bad: they're portrayed as planning to teach the Hindus a lesson because they don't like Hindu culture and tradition. On the other hand, every Hindu is depicted as a good Samaritan, God-fearing, and a righteous human being true to Sanatan tradition. Also, visuals are carefully chosen to display the communities in black and white.

The role of the intelligence system during those days is not explored. How the entire compartment of a train burnt to ashes, and what the nearby police and fire stations were doing all throughout, are not convincingly explained. The result is a lazy, lopsided and simplistic narrative.

The creative quartet, actors Ranvir Shorey and Manoj Joshi, director M K Shivaaksh, and producer B J Purohit, are vocal supporters of the BJP, and the biases appear clear. Shorey and Joshi play the lawyers of different parties. The getup of both is such that, even if it is not explicitly told, it is clear who is advocating for whom. Shorey is a capable actor, but the way he delivers his dialogues in this film makes you feel pity for him. He is seen reading his dialogues haltingly, and at times it seems that the case file in his hand has his lines written on it. Opposite him is Joshi, Hindi cinema's favourite lawyer these days. Joshi, who once became very popular in comedy films due to his special Gujarati accent, is also annoying to see in such roles one after the other.

In an attempt to keep the film close to reality, its writer-director M K Shivaaksh gathered the entire team of kar sevaks from Gujarat itself, and some of these actors have done a very impressive job. Former BJP MLA Hitu Kanodia, a popular actor in Gujarati cinema, gives a memorable performance as the Station Master in the film. The performance of Denisha Ghumra, who plays his wife, is also quite impressive. Both are accomplished Gujarati actors, and manage to leave their mark in the scene of the train catching fire and the scenes that follow.

The movie is technically weak, as well. The background music seems to tell the audience how to react to what is happening on screen at that moment. Subtlety is lacking from the very beginning of the film. The art direction is also very ordinary, except for the scenes of the train catching fire. These scenes have been filmed very skillfully, and the entire incident can distract the audience due to its gore. In these scenes, the stunt director Amit Naykar and makeup in-charge Jackie Kumar have done impressive jobs.

The movie is a strict no for all except those who learn history from WhatsApp forwards.