More
and
more
film-makers
are
borrowing
stories
from
real
life.
Giving
shape
to
stories
or
incidents
they
believe
in.
Stories
that
provoke
thinking
and
divert
your
attention
towards
issues
that
we
otherwise
brush
aside.
Director
Mahesh
Pandey's
332
-
Mumbai
To
India
attempts
to
chronicle
an
incident
that
occurred
almost
two
years
ago
in
Mumbai.
But
let
me
clarify
at
the
outset
that
332
-
Mumbai
To
India
is
not
a
documentary
on
Rahul
Raj,
as
is
widely
understood,
but
tries
to
portray
the
incident
and
its
repercussions
[from
the
director's
point
of
view].
In
fact,
the
director
has
clubbed
yet
another
incident
to
the
main
story,
which
is
not
connected
to
the
bus
hijack
episode
even
remotely
-
26/11.
Though
interesting
in
parts,
332
-
Mumbai
To
India
left
me
with
mixed
feelings
at
the
end
of
the
screening.
Ideally,
the
film
should've
been
a
hard-hitting
drama
or
a
pragmatic
interpretation
of
an
occurrence,
but
what
comes
across
on
screen,
in
the
final
tally,
is
a
tame
experience.
It
is
provoking
intermittently;
it
kept
me
hooked
in
parts,
not
in
its
entirety.
The
film
ends
on
a
positive
note,
but
the
question
that
crossed
my
mind
was,
does
it
offer
any
answer
or
solution
to
the
very
issue
that
it
raised
in
the
film?
The
question
that
crossed
my
mind
was,
will
it
change
the
perception
and
thought
processes
of
those
from
Bihar
as
well
as
from
Maharashtra
towards
each
other?
Most
importantly,
has
the
incident
made
any
difference
to
anyone's
life
or
is
it
just
a
case
of
one
more
precious
life
sacrificed
towards
a
cause
not
many
are
concerned
about?
The
answers
offered,
in
my
opinion,
are
unrealistic,
a
contrast
to
the
essence
of
the
film.
332
-
Mumbai
To
India
is
about
the
North
Indian
versus
Mumbaikars
issue.
The
story
begins
when
Rahul
Raj
hijacks
Bus
No.
332,
which
plies
between
Andheri
and
Kurla.
The
film
peeps
into
the
lives
of
several
characters
and
the
problems
they
encounter
during
that
day.
These
include
a
young
writer
from
U.P.,
an
auto
rickshaw
driver,
a
couple
and
three
students.
Exactly
a
month
after
this
incident,
the
terrorist
attack
on
Taj
[26/11]
occurs.
Mumbaikars
decide
to
hold
a
candle
march
to
Taj.
These
characters
also
take
part
in
it
and
realize
that
their
fight,
solely
because
they
belong
to
different
states,
is
uncalled
for
and
the
strength
lies
in
unity.
Director
Mahesh
Pandey
attempts
to
merge
realism
[the
Rahul
Raj
incident]
and
fiction
[the
multiple
stories,
which
are
not
connected
to
one
another],
but
the
outcome
lacks
force.
From
the
execution
point
of
view,
the
bus
hijack
portions
are
well
handled,
but
the
multiple
stories
don't
leave
the
desired
impact.
Let
me
elaborate...
Director
Mahesh
Pandey
has
handled
the
core
incident
deftly.
The
interview
to
a
news
channel
is
hair-raising
and
comes
across
as
shockingly
real.
But
I
am
told
that
the
names
mentioned
in
this
interview
have
been
beeped/muted,
which
would
dilute
the
impact
for
sure.
But
Mahesh
falters
in
weaving
the
multiple
stories
in
one
thread.
Also,
at
places,
one
feels
that
the
director
tilts
towards
the
North
Indians,
which
should've
been
avoided.
He
ought
to
know
that
in
a
film
that
talks
of
a
true
incident,
the
storyteller
shouldn't
take
sides.
In
fact,
the
perspective
of
the
Maharashtrians
should've
been
highlighted
as
well.
The
film
has
a
host
of
characters,
but
the
ones
that
portray
their
parts
most
convincingly
are
Vijay
Mishra
[who
enacts
the
role
of
a
rebellious
North
Indian
student],
Mayank
Sharma
[acts
as
a
writer
in
the
TV
industry]
and
the
actor
who
enacts
the
role
of
Rahul
Raj.
Sharbani
Mukerji,
Chetan
Pandit
and
Ali
Asgar
are
alright.
On
the
whole,
332
-
Mumbai
To
India
attempts
to
raise
several
pertinent
questions,
but
the
impact
is
amiss.
Director:
Mahesh
Pandey
Cast:
Vijay
Mishra,
Mayank
Sharma,
Rahul
Raj,
Sharbani
Mukerji,
Chetan
Pandit,
Ali
Asgar