“The Railway Men” dropped on Netflix in November, telling the world what really happened to the 150,000 people killed during the Bhopal gas leak of 1984.
Clearly none of my American friends were ever taught about the chemical gas leak in the city of Bhopal, India, 1984, which led to the sudden suffocation and death of thousands of families, despite it being one of the most terrifying true stories in modern history. On the night of December 3, 1984, roughly 45 tonnes or more of methyl isocyanate burst from the abysmally-run Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.
The invisible gas has a sharp aroma, and is a serious carcinogen, according to Science Direct. So as thousands of men, women, and children went about their typical evenings, their eyes and lungs started burning. Some died in a few hours, slowly suffocating as their lungs melted in their chests. For others, just a few deep breaths was all it took for their lives to end.
But a small group of men, all of whom were railway workers, knew something was wrong. And unlike the Indian government or Union Carbide, these men actually did something to save thousands of lives during this terrifying disaster.
This is the story chronicled in the four-part series “The Railway Men,” on Netflix. And I hope every single actor on the show received a massive slew of awards for their exceptional talent in bringing this tragedy to life … and finally showing the world that members of the Indian government were clearly waiting for every resident of Bhopal to die before they did anything to stop the disaster.
From start-to-finish, you’ll fall in love with every character. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. But you might not be too thrilled at how a majority of Indian men are portrayed for the most part (it’s a very conflicting show). (RELATED: Town Of Medford, Oregon, Asked To Evacuate Over Massive Explosion And Possible Chemical Leak)
It’s the first time the world has ever heard the true story of Bhopal, and I hope it brings further justice to the families and victims of the disaster, who continue to suffer almost 40 years later. And hopefully those data dumpster fires, Wikipedia and Britannica, will finally update their official death tolls, and tell the truth of this catastrophic moment in our history.