Highlights
- Film shifts focus from terrorists to the nurses who protected patients during the Cama Hospital attack
- Kangana Ranaut delivers one of her strongest performances in recent years
- Director Manoj Tapadia keeps tension high throughout the retelling of the Mumbai terror attack events
- Supporting cast ensures the story remains an ensemble tribute rather than a star vehicle
The women at the heart of a familiar tragedy
At a time when stories inspired by the '26/11'Mumbai attacks have become increasingly common, Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata finds a fresh perspective by turning its attention to the nurses of Cama Hospital.
Written by Ritesh Shah and directed by Manoj Tapadia, the film revisits the night when terrorists Ismail Khan and Ajmal Kasab entered the hospital complex during their deadly rampage across Mumbai. Rather than centring on the attackers, the film focuses on the medical staff who risked their lives to protect patients caught in the chaos.
The result is a tribute to a group often overlooked in accounts of the attacks. The film highlights their courage while avoiding broad-brush portrayals of communities, keeping its focus firmly on individual acts of bravery.
Kangana leads without overshadowing the ensemble
Kangana Ranaut anchors the film as Nurse Geeta, a woman forced to make life-and-death decisions as gunmen move through the hospital corridors.
Her performance gives the film emotional weight, but the screenplay ensures that the spotlight is shared. Girija Oak Godbole, Esha Dey and Smita Tambe all make strong impressions as fellow nurses working to hide hundreds of vulnerable patients, including pregnant women nearing labour.
Among the supporting cast, Godbole stands out with a quietly commanding performance. The film also establishes the camaraderie between the nurses, portraying them as colleagues bound by years of shared experience.
Tension, humanity and resilience
Despite audiences knowing the broad outline of the events, Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata maintains a sense of urgency throughout. Tapadia keeps the narrative tightly paced, creating sustained tension as the hospital staff attempt to stay one step ahead of the attackers.
The film touches on workplace politics through hospital administrators played by Asha Shelar and Suhita Thatte, but these elements never distract from the central story. Instead, the emphasis remains on the determination, compassion and resilience displayed by ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
By the end, Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata emerges as less a retelling of a terrorist attack and more a celebration of the women who protected lives when fear threatened to overwhelm everything around them. In doing so, it reminds viewers that heroism is often found far from the spotlight.
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Girija Oak Godbole, Smita Tambe, Esha Dey, Suhita Thatte, Asha Shelar, Aditya Mishra, Zahid Khan and Sayaji Shinde
Director: Manoj Tapadia
