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Entertainment

The Railway Men Web Review: A Riveting Tale Of A Few Good Men That Is Worth Watching

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Director: Shiv Rawail

Cast: R. Madhavan, Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu, Babil Khan, Sunny Hinduja, Juhi Chawla Mehta, Mandira Bedi, Raghubir Yadav, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Sunita Rajwar

Where: Streaming On Netflix

Rating: 3.5 stars

Offering an uncomfortable but an important perspective, the Railway Men goes on to deconstruct the truth behind the tragedy and the aftermath that transpired following the leak of a poisonous gas at Bhopal’s Union Carbide India Limited plant on the night of 2nd December 1984. Netflix India and Yash Raj Films combine forces to bring to light the horrors of the incident that is considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters, till date, through the show. It also conveys how the loss of lives could have been averted, had concerned authorities paid heed to infrastructural issues. In telling us the truth, the show also chooses to highlight the selfless services of a few good men and women who risked their own personal lives and prospects to save a larger populace from succumbing to the deadly gas, even as lives around them continued to crumble like a pack of cards.

Directed by debutant Shiv Rawail, The Railway Men makes a brave attempt in constructing the episode by offering both perspectives before us. So, while we get to see the issues and the concerns raised by the employees of the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), we also are accorded a chance to learn about what were the commercial interests of the United States-led Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) and why did they display a lack of empathy.

In between the two perspectives, stands a brave attempt at survival. Bhopal station master Iftekaar Siddique (Kay Kay Menon), new recruit Imad Riaz (Babil Khan), a stranded bandit Baldev (Divyenndu) and Central Railways General Manager Rati Pandey (R. Madhavan) must do what it takes to save as many lives as possible.

Aayush Gupta’s effective writing constructs the journeys of all characters concerned without resorting to over-the-top histrionics or drama. Sam Slater’s background score accompanying Rubais’ cinematography spells doom each time the focus shifts upon the factory and its adjacent localities. The visual of the methyl isocyanate gas emerging from a flare tower, looking at engulfing an entire city is one of the most haunting moments of the show.

The Railway Men certainly benefits from a great star cast put together. While the four leading actors are absolutely top-notch, you also have Sunny Hinduja who plays the truth-seeking journalist Jagmohan Kumawat with ease. Sunita Rajwar plays Siddique’s spirited colleague Vijaya, who’s getting her daughter married on the ill-fated day. Mandira Bedi plays Rajbir Kaur, a woman who must escape from succumbing to the anti-Sikh sentiments following the assassination of a former PM. Raghubir Yadav plays the Gorakhpur Express guard who puts his humanity above in the face of adversity. The solid Dibyendu Bhattacharya plays UCIL employee Kamruddin, who tries hard to put forth the grievances of the staff before UCC and pays a hefty price for it. And there’s Juhi Chawla Mehta, who plays the Railway Ministry bureaucrat Rajeshwari Janglay, a sincere but affirmative woman who must nudge her bosses to send aid and relief to lives affected in Bhopal.

The Railway Men is certainly not for the faint-hearted. But it walks the tightrope path in between recreating a horrific episode while celebrating an inspiring story of courage and grit.

Bollywood

Why Parineeti Chopra is crushing on ‘inspiring human’ Raghav Chadha

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Mumbai, March 6: Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra has expressed admiration for her husband and politician Raghav Chadha, calling him an “inspiring human.” The actress reshared Raghav’s video on her Instagram stories and captioned it, “Crushing on this inspiring human,” followed by a red heart emoji.

In the video, Raghav could be heard expressing his excitement about being invited to participate in the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education Program.

The AAP Rajya Sabha MP stated, “I am super excited to be back at school. I am honored to be handpicked for this prestigious program and deeply grateful to the Harvard as well as the World Economic Forum for this opportunity. This is a unique opportunity to enhance my learning in global leadership and acquire a skill set in policy-making while engaging with some of the brightest minds in governance, public affairs, and public policy. It’s truly a ‘back to school’ moment for me, and I look forward to gaining new insights that will contribute to India’s policymaking landscape.”

Raghav also emphasized the significance of incorporating these learnings into India’s policy framework. “I am eager to bring back valuable global perspectives to enhance policy decisions in India. The world is interconnected, and learning from top policymakers and experts will help us innovate and craft better solutions to challenges that affect not just India but the world at large,” he added.

Chadha was recognized as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

From this select group of YGLs, a few are chosen to participate in the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century program at Harvard Kennedy School. Scheduled from March 5 to 13, 2025, in Boston, Cambridge, this exclusive program gathers leading politicians, policymakers, executives, and thought leaders for an immersive learning experience focused on global governance, leadership, and policy innovation.

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Entertainment

Entertainers Cricket League to stream live on Waves OTT

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New Delhi, March 5: The Entertainers Cricket League (ECL) after a phenomenal debut season, is set to return with its second edition, which will be broadcast live on Prasar Bharati’s Waves OTT platform.

It will be starting from March 5 and running until March 16. The influencer-driven cricket event promises to be more competitive, with 150 top digital influencers taking center stage.

The tournament will kick off with a grand opening ceremony at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi. The inauguration ceremony will be led by the Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta on Wednesday.

The first match will have a clash between Haryanvi Hunters and Rajasthan Rangers. This year’s edition sees the addition of three new teams, expanding the competition and raising the stakes. The new entrants are the Rajasthan Rangers, led by popular YouTuber Zayn Saifi; Kolkata Superstars, captained by Pushkar Raj Thakur; and Chennai Smashers, with Mahesh Keshwala at the helm.

They will join returning teams, which include heavyweights like Munawar Faruqui, Abhishek Malhan, Elvish Yadav, Sonu Sharma, and Anurag Dwivedi.

Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi shared: “We are thrilled to bring the Entertainers Cricket League live to our viewers on Waves OTT! This season is set to ignite an electrifying showcase of talent, fierce competition, and unparalleled fan energy.”

“With record participation and an unstoppable wave of enthusiasm, we are gearing up for a tournament like never before, and we can’t wait for the action to unfold,” Dwivedi said.

“We’re thrilled to have Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, as our sponsor for ECL Season 2. Their commitment to bringing diverse and engaging content aligns perfectly with our vision for the league,” Himanshu Chandnani, Founder, Entertainers Cricket League.

“Having Waves as a sponsor for ECL Season 2 is a great addition. Their support strengthens the league, and we’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead.” – Anil Kumar, Founder, Entertainers Cricket League.

The ECL 2025 final is scheduled for March 16.

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Crime

‘India Got Latent’ row: Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before Assam Police today

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Guwahati, March 4: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia is set to appear before the Assam Police in Guwahati on Tuesday in the case related to his controversial comments on the stage of ‘India Got Latent’ show that has attracted massive backlash for the podcaster.

A case against Allahbadia was registered in Guwahati and he was served summons to appear before the Assam Police here.

The Guwahati Crime Branch last week questioned another YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani, who has also been embroiled in the controversy for his comments made during an episode of ‘India’s Got Latent’ show.

The interrogation lasted several hours after the YouTuber arrived at the Crime Branch office.

“YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani showed up for interrogation at the Crime Branch. He has complied with our inquiry. We will phone him if necessary, but we are not currently calling him again. We have not yet received a response from other people connected to the investigation. They will receive new summonses shortly,” Guwahati’s Joint Police Commissioner Ankur Jain told reporters here.

When Allahbadia made controversial comments on the show hosted by comedian Samay Raina, Chanchlani was listed in the Assam FIR.

Due to his remarks regarding parents and sex in an episode of the show, Allahbadia, better known by his stage name BeerBiceps, faced severe criticism and complaints.

Chanchlani has pleaded that the FIR filed at the Guwahati Crime Branch, Guwahati Police Commissionerate’s Cyber Police Station be quashed.

As the Maharashtra FIR was filed first, the YouTuber requested that the Guwahati FIR be transferred to Mumbai. While considering Chanchlani’s anticipatory bail motion, the Gauhati High Court granted him temporary relief on February 18 and instructed him to appear in person before the investigating officer within ten days.

The lawyer for Chanchlani contended that their client made no statements on the show and that the FIR’s accusations were limited to the co-accused. Under certain provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhtia, Information Technology Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Guwahati Police filed a formal complaint against Chanchlani on February 10.

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