The Railway Men

Aayush Gupta’s screenplay emphasises the can-do spirit that propels ordinary citizens grappling with a calamity beyond their comprehension. Despite ample scope for histrionics, the series dials down the melodrama. Except for some moments of needless overkill, The Railway Men maintains a sombre tone while foregrounding its empathy over the senseless loss of lives. Not all of the show’s ideas are smoothly conveyed. Some of the characters, who are played by recognised actors, get short shrift. A sub-plot taking place on the Gorakhpur Express, which is unwittingly hurtling towards Bhopal, momentarily threatens to derail the momentum. Some of the choppiness comes from trying to braid together events occurring simultaneously across different locations. The American actors who play Union Carbide employees or the company’s critics are too weak to be convincing.