Without a doubt, the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on people around us and the world at large. Given that it's impossible for a 112-minute film to capture what millions of people experienced in real life, Anubhav Sinha's 'Bheed' is a compelling drama that comes close to relaying the truth of severe hardships migrant workers faced at that time of crisis—with bare minimum access to food, shelter, little or no money, sealed borders, and lack of overall infrastructure to support them. The film also addresses the caste discrimination that some of them faced during those challenging times. The opening scene, which tells the story of “16 migrant workers run over by a train” (as reported), sets the tone for the intense and poignant story that follows. By now, we all are fairly aware of the traumatic incidents that occurred during the course of the pandemic, and even the thought of it can still shake you up. So, watching this story unfold and revisiting some of these incidents cinematically, could have a similar effect on you. The screenplay by Anubhav Sinha, Saumya Tiwari, and Sonali Jain refrains from sensationalising any aspect of the story and allows ‘Bheed’ to remain closer to reality. Interestingly, what makes this social drama stand out is the way it is shot in black and white. Soumik Mukherjee's stark and striking cinematography heightens the impact of the film. As the camera pans on the characters (migrant workers), exposing their bleeding wounds and starving bodies, it will make you shudder. Balram Trivedi (Pankaj Kapur) is a watchman who wishes to return to his hometown with many of his friends and fellow workers. Thousands more, like them, arrive at the Tejpur border, which is 1200 km from Delhi. However, the borders are sealed, and the officer in charge, Surya Kumar Singh (Rajkummar Rao), refuses to let anyone pass through. As a result, Madam Ji (Dia Mirza), who comes from a wealthy family, is also trapped with them. Meanwhile, medical student Renu Sharma (Bhumi Pednekar) organises a camp near the border to provide basic medical aid to Covid patients. The magnitude of each person's problems varies but they are all trapped in this tragic situation with little recourse, and only faith to hold on to. Most of what these characters go through is inspired from real events that make you feel for them. Pankaj Kapur is fantastic as the rampaging Balram Trivedi. Rajkummar Rao once again pulls off a sincere and brilliant performance as an officer on-duty trying to combat caste prejudice, while battling his inner conflict which stems from his roots. Bhumi Pednekar plays his paramour Renu, who belongs to a different caste, but that does not stop them from falling in love. Dia Mirza stands out with her compelling performance. She plays a distraught mother who is unable to meet her daughter, and also someone who comes from a place of privilege and believes that people like her (upper crust of society) will be the ones more affected in the pandemic. The rest (poor section of society), she believes inki immunity acchi hain. Kritika Kamra as the empathetic journalist Vidhi Prabhakar, pours her heart into the story she is covering and becomes the strong voice of the people. Ashutosh Rana as a senior police officer is fairly underutilised. Anubhav Sinha, in his cinematic portrayal of a certain phase of the pandemic, comes really close to the real-life trauma faced by thousands. Does it make you uneasy? Is it heart-wrenching? Yes, it is, as it is intended to be. The filmmaker is known for his hard-hitting cinema (Mulk, Article 15), and this time again, he leaves you with strong images and stories of miseries, despair and desperation of a certain class of society. ‘Bheed’ isn’t an easy watch, but the harsh reality never is, isn’t it?Read more

When the Covid-19 pandemic first hit India, people panicked, stocked up on ration and locked themselves at home. Some were with family while others were stuck alone in different cities. However, it was the migrant labourers who were left confused and stranded on the roads while trying to get back to their villages. And if there was someone who could translate those raw emotions on screen, it's Anubhav Sinha. In his film, Bheed, that released today, March 24, the filmmaker brilliantly made us recall the painful memories of the pandemic. The migrants stranded on the roads, a mother's struggle to bring her daughter back from another city, a frontline doctor, a police, a politician, reporters bringing the sufferings of the migrants - Bheed has it all and yet it doesn't feel cramped or dramatic. Shot in black and white, the film is as raw as it can get, making your heart wrench several times. ‘Ghar se nikal kar gaye the, ghar se hi aa rahe hain aur ghar hi jaa rahe hain’. A migrant worker says this line in Bheed and that perfectly sums up the storyline of the film. Shot majorly on one single road, Bheed narrates the horrifying time faced by labourers who had left their villages to earn their livelihood in different cities. However, when the government-imposed Covid-19 lockdown was announced in the country in May 2020, it led to the exodus of about 10 million migrant workers. In Bheed, we have a police officer, played by Rajkummar Rao, who is put in charge of blocking roads to stop people returning to their villages, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. The labourers are made to wait on the roads and surrounding fields without any food and water. A mother (Dia Mirza) is desperately waiting to cross the UP border to take her daughter back home. A young girl with a sick father on her bicycle finds ways to get back home. The duty in-charge, Surya's (Rajkumar Rao) character, is written very well. While he tries to follow the law and order to his best, he is also divided by the casteism he faces every time. Bhumi Pednekar plays the role of a doctor and Surya's girlfriend. Even with Rajkummar leading the show, Anubhav manages not to shift the focus from the main issue. Pankaj Kapur belongs to the Pandit community in Bheed, and he plays a pivotal role. Bheed is brutally honest that it will make your heart ache revisiting the hardships migrants went through during the pandemic. With a difficult story like this to tell, Anubhav Sinha made sure one gets uncomfortable watching it. Unlike mainstream Bollywood cinema, the filmmaker stayed away from the drama but kept the script restrained and tight. Nothing is politicised here, it's all about emotions. "No one ever plans for the poor," says Rajkummar Rao, exposing the faulty lines of class conflict. Bheed takes a closer look at the social divide and class system in Indian society. Three cheers to the cinematography team. Bheed shows shocking visuals of migrants sleeping on the railway tracks and being run over by a train, people walking barefoot with their bloody toenails, hungry kids crying and much more. Watch out for the scene where people are caught hiding in cement mixers. Even with no blood, Bheed is gory. Throughout the movie, no time is wasted in building up the story. Dialogues like ‘Hamara nyaay hamari aukaat se bohot bahar hai’ or ‘Gareeb aadmi ke liye kabhi intezaam nahi hota’ will keep you hooked. There's a scene when Pankaj bashes a doctor wearing a PPE kit while treating his brother. He calls it 'nautanki' and even goes on to say 'sardi khasi hai bas, Covid thodi hai.' This reminds us of the time all of us reacted when Covid first hit India. Anubhav had taken even the smallest of details in mind. Rajkummar Rao has given a brilliant performance as a police officer. He doesn't hold back and gives his best. Bhumi Pednekar does an equally good job. However, their sex scene didn't make sense and could have been done away with. Bheed will choke you with tears and will leave a lump in your throat. The film will make you realise how privileged you were during the Covid-19 pandemic times. If you want to know the raw truth about those who were homeless during the Covid days, then Bheed can be your pick. Read more