Trial by Fire is a miniseries based on the same-titled book. The Uphaar Cinema Tragedy and its aftermath serve as the basis for the narrative. Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha direct it.
Trial by Fire focuses mostly on the victim’s family members. Particularly from the perspective of the married couple Neleema and Shekhar Krishnamurthy, who are portrayed by Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol, respectively. The heart of this story is built on their tenacity and commitment to pursuing justice. Anupam Kher, Asish Vidyarthi, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajesh Tailang, and Shilpa Shukla are a few other actors that play significant roles. Trial by Fire boasts one of the strongest casts of recent years in terms of the ensemble. The actors are highly convincing in each of their roles. Rajshri Deshpande excels in her portrayal of a bereaved but determined mother battling for justice for her deceased children. Incredibly realistic as always, Abhay Deol looks.
Instead of focusing on world events, the miniseries prefers to focus on the individuals’ private space. There is less courtroom drama, thrills, and suspense. The series has a rather sombre tone. However, the quality of the performance, editing, and writing keeps you interested. The sound design and cinematography add to the intended realism. Previously, Prashant Nair created a web series called Tryst with Destiny, which we adored. He does so once more here. Given that this is based on a real incident, subtlety is required, which the entire crew skillfully pulls off.
There are seven episodes in the series, and each one is based on a distinct viewpoint. The episode titled ‘Villains‘ was our favourite. This episode really stuck with us and it also enabled us to reflect on our thoughts differently than before. The transition effects used to depict the passage of time in the story of Rajesh Tailang’s character are remarkable. The source material has enough masala to get carried away with. The creators, however, fearlessly and unapologetically recount the story while maintaining their attention on the appropriate emotions.
We are all pleased with the series. However, we believe the series’ greatest disappointment is the final episode. Not because you are dissatisfied with the conclusion, but rather because the conclusion is not as upsetting as it might be. But given that it might have affected the victims’ families, it’s possible that the filmmakers are reluctant to display more visuals of the atrocity. That gay couple storyline in the last episode also seems out of place.
Overall, Trial by Fire is one of the best web series released recently. As it is a mini-series, it has a definite ending, which we always prefer.
