Director Nishikant Kamat’s Mumbai Meri Jaan is a reasonably worthy film that explores the after effects of a terrorist attack on the mindset of people.

Post 2006 train bomb blasts in Mumbai; there was a newspaper headline – “Mumbai Survives”. It was just the difference in various points of views from which people looked at the entire incident.

Here’s one of those few Bollywood films that take a shot at reality without altering to commercial point of view. Keeping the infamous 7/11 Mumbai train blasts at its heart, the film shows how the incident affects the lives of different people in the city – from an IT professional to a tea seller, from a Hindu extremist to a recruit cop.

The best part about ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’ is that the movie doesn’t try to be imaginative. It aims to present the facts as they are and leave it upon a viewer to make his own judgment.

The movie has five tales running parallel to each other but related by the same unpleasant incident.

Nikhil ( Madhavan ) is software professional and a responsible citizen. On the fateful day of July he doesn’t board his usual train compartment and is thus saved from the bomb blasts. But terror strikes so deep in his heart that he considers leaving Mumbai for good.

The blasts cause a personal loss to Rupali ( Soha Ali Khan ) who is a journalist working for a news channel and whose beliefs about the fourth estate are shaken by the incident.

Thomas ( Irrfan Khan ) is a coffee vendor who lets out his angst against the bourgeoisie by spreading fear among people after the attacks.

Suresh ( Kay Kay Menon ) is a Hindu fanatic whose hatred for Muslims is only strengthened after the blasts.

Tukaram ( Paresh Rawal ) is a senior constable about to retire in a week when he is assigned the patrolling duty with a rookie cop Sunil (Vijay Maurya). This episode shows the humour-laced apathy of a seasoned cop and the disappointment and anger of a new recruit towards the corrupt system.

All of them try tackling their issue on their own. And by the end of it, all of them move on in life. And that has been portrayed as the ‘strength of Mumbai’. Hence the name – “Mumbai Meri Jaan”.

Paresh Rawal and Irrfan are brilliant.

Excellent direction by Nishikant Kamat. It continues with his realistic approach post ‘Dombivali Fast’.

The script could have been a little tighter though. Because of long scenes, the story doesn’t seem to be moving and makes you irritated.

Otherwise, the movie is very excellent if you want to see something realistic.