According to our Scopo-Meter, we check the following in Bheed:
| Category | Out Of 5 |
| ACTING | 3.5 |
| SCREENPLAY | 3 |
| PLOT | 3 |
| DIRECTION | 3 |
| OVERALL | BOMB / GOOD / NICE / FINE / HMM / PATHETIC |
FilmScopes thank the creators of the movie for shedding light onto an issue that requires attention and a new perspective when anybody talks about it.
The Covid-19 Panic
The panic caused by the COVID-19 lockdown still seems like yesterday when all the media houses were covering the rise in cases and updating us about the interstate migration of laborers during that time. While the privileged strata of our society had the luxury of staying within their houses, laborers were not getting any facilities to reach their homes on time.
Buses were getting filled; there was a lack of healthcare facilities and the socio-economic disparity was more visible than ever before. Anubhav Sinha, although majorly showcasing the situation of the migrant workers, brings forth characters that represent a particular section of our society to give us a picture of how this chapter from our recent history affected each and every stratum.
The Story Of Bheed
Bheed focuses on the repercussions of the COVID-19 lockdown enforced from March 14th, 2020 which affect different people from migrant workers, who are in desperate need of reaching their families, to the police force, who are given strict orders to keep the crowd from crossing the border as per the COVID guidelines by the government.
The story also gives acknowledgment to the higher class like politicians and the city folk who react to the situation in accordance with their mindset and the privileged background they come from.
A Tale Of Insecurities And Chaos
Not only does Bheed explore the conflicting mentalities about social division, but also sheds light on the religious insecurities that were more prevalent during this time.
The movie subtly wants to tell us that we are deeply rooted in our insecurities that are expressed at times of panic and chaos. The animosity towards Muslims, although very brief, does not seem to stem from propaganda and neither does Anubhav Sinha make the situation seem preachy at all.
In fact, this was a huge improvement from his last venture with Anek where the writing was more focused on preaching about the situation of the North East Indian separatist movement instead of presenting the events in a tighter screenplay with more clarity.
The Performances
There is not a single beat missed when it comes to the performances of the cast. Rajkumar Rao’s character serves a good purpose in showing that social discrimination exists even in positions of authority.
Rao as a police officer from a Dalit family channelizes the insecurity one feels when they are constantly reminded of their social background so well that it makes you root for him from the word ‘go’.
Bhumi Pednekar gives formidable support as Rao’s love interest and provides the necessary representation of the healthcare sector. However, it is Pankaj Kapur who steals the show as a security watchman who is prey to his desperation to get back home and gives in to his insecurities to come out in a situation of panic and chaos.
Final Verdict
I just wished that Bheed hit an emotional chord with me in more or less the same way as Mulk, Article 15, and Thappad. Each of these movies presented a social issue that resonated so much with the audience.
This did not do the same for me but it is certainly engaging due to the premise. The script is intact and the point about looking beyond your privileges by knowing the situation at a grassroots level as well is also put across.
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