A tragic event took place in Delhi in June 1997, and the life of Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy turned upside down. 'Trial By Fire' is the story of a grief-stricken couple who lost their children in the deadly Uphaar Cinema fire and their fight for justice. This docu-drama is streaming on Netflix.
The Story:
On June 13, 1997, Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy lost both of their children in the fire that took place in Uphaar Cinema in Delhi during the screening of the Bollywood film 'Border'. The couple, who were devasted by the loss of their children, tries to fight for justice against all odds. Inspired by the 2016 book 'Trial By Fire The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy', the series is created by Prashant Nair and Kevin Luperchlo.
Review:
The story is told from the perspective of Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy (played by Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol respectively) who are shattered by the death of their children and do not know how to cope with it. The series starts by showing a regular day for the Krishnamoorthy family but it does not waste any time in showing the horrific tragedy of Uphaar cinema fire.
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The series does a remarkable job of showing its intense and emotional scenes through silence and close-ups. There are some heartwrenching moments in the show which just shake you to the core. For instance, the scene of an old man looking at the dead bodies of all his family members including his six-month-old granddaughter is agonising. The grief of the characters is shown without any overdramatisation or melodrama.
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Apart from showing how the family members of the victims are fighting for justice, Trial by Fire shows their trauma in some subtle moments. Like seeing the toothbrush of their children in the basin months after their death or cutting the birthday cake of their deceased child and talking about its terrible taste. We also see the characters facing a moral dilemma about living their life normally once again amidst these trials and tribulations.
The series doesn't shy away from showing how the accused were trying their best to cover up the tragedy as a mere accident by threatening the family members of the victims and manipulating the evidence. Trial By Fire courageously questions the justice system of the country and how justice is different for the rich and powerful.
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Acting:
Rajshri Deshpande as Neelam is definitely the star of the series. Her silence and eyes say it all and convey the intensity of the scenes brilliantly. Abhay Deol is brilliant as Shekhar, who is a supportive husband and stands by his wife's side in every aspect. Anupam Kher as a retired army officer and Ratna Pathak Shah as his wife are also spectacular in their small screen time.
Ashish Vidhyarthi as Neeraj Suri portrays his anger, frustration and guilt on screen with so much ease. However, Yashwant Wasnik as Kishan Pal steals the show in the scene where he cries after seeing the dead bodies of family members. Rajesh Tailang and Kiran Sharma also display their fear and guilt amazingly in their less screen space.
However, some other characters in the series do not add much depth to the story. The chase sequences in the show also seem not required for the storyline.
Final Thoughts:
Trial by Fire isn't just about the tragedy of the Uphaar cinema fire but also a tribute to the exceptional spirit of the family members of the victims who fought for justice for many years. It is an intense, gripping and must-watch series which portrays an unforgetful tragedy with brilliance.
Directed by: Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha, Avani Deshpande
Streaming On: Netflix