The Sabarmati Report Movie Review: I would be foolish to expect The Sabarmati Report to hold up a mirror to society or uncover any hidden truths. The Godhra train burning and the ensuing riots in Gujarat in 2002 mark one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. Like many propaganda films churned out by Bollywood in recent years, The Sabarmati Report claims to seek justice for the victims but instead sets out to find a scapegoat, and then conveniently settles on one – the media. This is accomplished through convoluted ‘investigations’ and copious sermonising, all while absolving the ruling dispensation at the time. ‘The Sabarmati Report’ Song ‘Tere Mere Darmiyan’: Vikrant Massey Is a Lovesick Man in This Soulful Track Crooned by Akhil Sachdeva.
The film centres around the burning of four railway coaches on the Sabarmati Express, which was carrying pilgrims from Ayodhya. This tragic event, which claimed 59 lives, was attributed to a nearby Muslim mob and used as a catalyst for widespread violence across the state, resulting in thousands of deaths and reports of mass rapes and massacres. The story is told through Samar Kumar (Vikrant Massey), a cameraman for EBT News (a not-so-hidden dig at NDTV, then led by Prannoy Roy), a channel that initially covered the alleged violence, which was first reported as an accident. His footage of victim interviews is suppressed by the network, and he is fired for objecting.
Watch the Trailer of ‘The Sabarmati Report’:
The other main characters include Manika (Ridhi Dogra), a senior journalist complicit in hiding the ‘tape’ and the ‘truth’, and Amrita (Raashii Khanna), a rookie journalist tasked with re-investigating the incident in 2007 to appease political powers. She enlists Samar – who has turned into a ‘Kabir Singh’ without the swagger – to aid in her investigation.
‘The Sabarmati Report’ Movie Review – Biased Through and Through
I do not claim to be an expert on the Godhra tragedy and the subsequent carnage; my understanding comes from newspapers, news channels, and reports by seasoned journalists. Even within my limited knowledge, it’s evident that The Sabarmati Report makes no genuine attempt to be impartial.
Fictionalising real-life incidents allows for creative liberties, but The Sabarmati Report‘s narrative is flimsy and absurd. The film expects viewers to believe that a single news channel was solely responsible for concealing the ‘truth’ about the Godhra train burning, ignoring the presence of other media outlets at the time. Unsurprisingly, the movie goes out of its way to exonerate the BJP government, which held power both in Gujarat and at the Centre, shifting the blame instead to the opposition, whose leader bears a striking resemblance to Sonia Gandhi.
A Still From The Sabarmati Report
Even more comical is the almost complete omission of the Gujarat riots, aside from a single scene in which the vehicle Samar is travelling in is attacked. Perhaps this is because portraying those events would be difficult without straining credibility. To underline its biases, the film features numerous mentions of India’s rise post-riots, beginning with real footage of Narendra Modi being sworn in as Chief Minister of Gujarat (despite the fact that he was already in power during the riots), followed by a few token clips of the UPA government and then more footage of Modi. The movie even has time to play an old advertisement extolling Gujarat’s development under new leadership, while Samar seizes every chance to praise the state. And that’s the tip of the iceberg here.
‘The Sabarmati Report’ Movie Review – Badly Disguised Religious Propaganda
When not championing a particular political party or state, The Sabarmati Report turns to vilifying the Muslim community. The ‘investigations’ by Samar and Amrita align closely with the findings of the Nanavati Commission, providing the film with some cover, but the religious bias is evident in other scenarios. For instance, one scene shows Samar and Amrita walking through a Muslim-majority area where residents are depicted celebrating the fall of Indian wickets during an India vs Pakistan match, and Samar exclaims this is usual here. ‘Koi Khatre Me Nahi Hain’: ‘The Sabarmati Report’ Actor Vikrant Massey Feels Muslims Are Not in Danger in India, Says ‘Everything Is Going Fine’ (Watch Video).
A Still From The Sabarmati Report
In an attempt to mitigate this bias, the film falls back on the familiar trope of the ‘good Muslim vs bad Muslim’, featuring a Muslim female lawyer who aids the protagonists in uncovering the mastermind. Apart from that, there is enough Hindu appeasement that begins with completely ignoring the Hindu angle in the riots to ending the movie with a glimpse of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir.
As if this weren’t enough, The Sabarmati Report also delves into the question of linguistic identity, with Samar dramatically asserting that Hindi will become the country’s defining language, unchallenged and that India has become ‘Bharat’ (someone, show him the constitution please). The writing and treatment are lacklustre, but this isn’t the kind of film one watches for compelling storytelling or technical finesse – it’s for those seeking confirmation of their existing biases. In that sense, The Sabarmati Report might resonate with certain audiences.
A Still From The Sabarmati Report
The most ludicrous element of the film, aside from its blatant propaganda, is the courtroom sequence framing the story. Samar is accused of something, though it’s never made clear what, serving only as a platform for a grand, preachy monologue near the film’s conclusion.
PS: For all its criticisms of the media, the film has little understanding of how a news channel operates. No news outlet would allow a rookie journalist to air unvetted content without reviewing it beforehand.
‘The Sabarmati Report’ Movie Review – Final Thoughts
The Sabarmati Report is yet another prime example of Bollywood wielding cinema as a blunt tool for agenda-pushing rather than art or meaningful commentary. While it masquerades as an investigative thriller, the film’s real motive is thinly veiled, with its lopsided narrative and selective outrage that sacrifices nuance and logic for the sake of propaganda. To push the nail deeper into the wound, it also serves heart-breaks seeing the fall of certain actors you have grown to respect over the years.
(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 15, 2024 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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