Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
| Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain | |
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Promotional poster
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| Directed by | Ravi Kumar |
| Produced by | Ravi Walia |
| Written by | Ravi Kumar David Brooks |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Charlie Wuppermann Anil Chandel Jean-Marc Selva |
| Edited by | Chris Gill |
| Distributed by | Revolver Entertainment |
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Release date
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Running time
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96 Minutes |
| Country | India United Kingdom |
| Language | Hindi English |
| Box office | $12,628 |
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is a 2014 historical drama film set amidst the Bhopal disaster that had occurred in India on 2–3 December 1984. It is directed by Ravi Kumar and features Martin Sheen, Mischa Barton, Kal Penn, Rajpal Yadav, Tannishtha Chatterjee, and Fagun Thakrar in important roles. Benjamin Wallfisch composed the film's music. Kumar got the idea of making a film based on the Bhopal disaster after he read a book based on it. Shot over a period of 18 months, it was originally slated for a late 2010 release. However, the lack of responses from distributors kept on delaying the release.
In April 2013, a new trailer was released, and the film received a market screening at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May and 19 May. It was also screened at Pan Asia, Dingle and the Tokyo International film festivals. Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain was released in the United States on 7 November 2014 and in India on 5 December 2014. A private screening of the movie was held at the youth assembly in the United Nations on 7 August 2014.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the actors' portrayal of their respective characters but found the film underwhelming. A few organisations fighting for the rights of the victims of the tragedy blamed the film for presenting the facts in a distorted manner. Kumar and Sheen denied these allegations. The Madhya Pradesh government exempted the film from paying tax.
In 1984, a few months before the disaster, Dilip (Rajpal Yadav), a rickshaw driver, loses his pay source as his rickshaw breaks down while transporting an employee to the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal. Dilip lives in the slums around the plant with his wife, a son and his sister. He gets a job in the plant as a labourer, and is happy since his daily wage is restored.
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