It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Back in 1984, the Union Carbide chemical factory in Bhopal, India had a serious leak--killing thousands in one night and countless others due to the lingering effects of the toxic gas. This film by Mahesh Mathai is about this disaster. While it could have focused on many people, the movie focuses on one man in particular, a worker at the plant. You see the death, suffering, cover-up and indifference through his eyes and his realization that his beloved employer is at fault---and amazingly indifferent.The most amazing thing about the film is that the director, Mathai, has only directed one other film. I tried to get more information on him on IMDb and other sites but couldn't really find much. And, considering how good "Bhopal Express" is, it's just amazingly strange that you don't see more Mathai films. Additionally, the acting was very good--with a wonderful emotional range--such that you really do care about him, his friends and his bride.I noticed that some found the film to be a disappointment. This isn't very surprising, as the event has touched so many lives that you know many will feel that "Bhopal Express" doesn't adequately convey the misery and magnitude of the tragedy. Still, especially for westerners who know far less about the Bhopal disaster, it's a good introduction and puts a human face on the people.By the way, there is one minor complaint about the DVD and that is that the captions blend in with the background and are occasionally difficult to read. Hopefully your copy will have more readable captions.

I appreciate the movie being made to remind people of the old and almost forgotten story of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Very good acting by Kaykay and Naseeruddin Shah. During many of the movie scenes, one almost felt one was there. However, the plot did not seem to hold through the movie. There was almost no development of character for people working in the plant.Like other people have said, the long scene of Bashir Mian being entertained by Zohrabai could've been shortened. Apart from that, there seem to be some unanswered questions - As with any disaster and news spreading so fast, how is it that the next day 3 PM Bhopal express was not halted long before? For Tara to leave 9 PM one day and return 3 PM the next day, it would indeed make an extremely short trip. If it was actually more than a day later, I would expect news to have spread for sure and also most of the gas have diffused away.If some of these questions have obvious answers, I would like to hear them. If not, all I have to say is that a story with holes in the plot summary loses its effect.

Aside from the fact that no movie can ever do justice in portraying the plight of people who were and are still being affected by the horrible tragedy that struck Bhopal in 1984, this movie is decently made, but still leaves quite a bit to be desired. Naseeruddin Shah did his cameo well. The lead actor acted well and the actress didn't have much role to play, but her facial expressions were quite good for a newcomer. I personally feel that too much time was spent in shooting the 'bar' scene. Aside from showing the gas leak and minor aftermath, there was nothing in the movie that one hasn't already seen in tons of other documentaries. It is still commendable that the crew picked such an important topic. 7/10

This film relates the real life chemical industrial accident of the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India in 1984. Known as the "Hiroshima" of such industrial tragedies, the gas that leaked from this badly constructed building killed thousands and is still the cause of many deaths every month.For a first time director, 'Bhopal Express' is handled extremely well. Very little of the actual factory is shown early in the film. Instead, Mahesh Mathai allows the film time and space to build in emotion and intensity displaying a cinematic wisdom that will be exciting to watch grow. The acting is strong and believable and the cinematography, done by Mathai himself, is reminiscent of the graceful, fluent movements of the great Satyajit Ray. Although the ending suffers from a touch of sentimentality, it is almost deserved and allows the narrative to end rising, though not on what you would call a high note.