Bombay

Bombay, created by Mani Ratnam, is a Bollywood stlye film that takes place in India about star-crossed lovers and the events that occurred between December 1992-January 1993 between the Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid controversy. The film focusses on two characters, Shekhar Mishra Narayan and Shaila Bano. Shekhar is a south Indian Hindu and Shaila is a Muslim. The two fall madly in love with each at first sight. They want to marry but the problem is that it is taboo for a Hindu and a Muslim to get married and their families, especially their fathers, are very drawn to their religion and refuse that the two see each other. Against their fathers' wishes Shekhar and Shaila move to Bombay, which is now Mumbai, and get married. Shila gets pregnant and the two end up have twin boys. Eventually both Shekhar's and Shaila's fathers come to visit, apologize to them, and finally meet their grandchildren. During this time Shekhar's father and Sheila's father try to get along and eventually become friends. Then came the Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid controversy that took place between December 1992-January 1993. During this time there was a lot of religious tension between the Hindus and Muslims and there were many riots and acts of violence happening on the streets of Bombay. Both Shekhar's and Shaila's parents were killed in a fire that was started in their home during the riots. After that Shekhar and Shaila were separated from their children. At one point their children were nearly burned alive. Shekhar and Shaila looked everywhere for their boys including hospitals, morgues, and shelters. During this time the two boys are separated themselves but eventually find each other and then reunite with their parents. The controversy between Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid also begins to end however the violence has already left a grand impression on the two little boys who will most likely be haunted in their dreams for the rest of their lives and also never understand why Hindus and Muslims don't like each other.

I believe the main theme and message that Ratnam was trying show in the film was about the December 1992-January 1993 period in India with the religious tension and controversy between the Hindus and Muslims. The second half of the film focused heavily on that. I also believe the main question he was trying to ask was "why don't Hindus and Muslims get along?" as said in the film. I believe he tried to show that they can get along by having the two main characters be star-crossed lovers from different religions and marrying each other and having children which then unites their two families from opposite religions. In the film the two fathers represented each of the religions and did not get along at first but then began to respect and like each other. I also felt that the two twins further supported his message since they were the products of a Hindu and a Muslim and the two of them were neither Hindu or Muslim, they were just children. The two twin boys came from a family of both Hindu and Muslim and did not understand why two religions fought with each other, they just looked at it as nonsense.

My reaction to Bombay was that I thought it was a great film. I felt the first half was a little slow but the second half was very powerful. I felt it was a very important film with a very important message. The story and the character's were great. I loved the two fathers in the film and the two twin boys. I felt Ratnam's direction was great. I feel that Bombay is a film the many people should watch however I don't think it's a film that everyone would enjoy especially if you are not Bollywood style or musical type films.