Trial By Fire is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language crime drama web series based on the book “Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy” written by Neelam Krishnamoorthy and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. The web series is written by Prashant Nair and Kevin Luperchio and directed by Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha. It stars Abhay Deol, Ashish Vidyarthi, Anupam Kher, Rajshri Deshpande, Rajesh Tailang, Ratna Pathak, Shilpa Shukla, Shardul Bharadwaj, and others.
The series focuses on the aftermath of the Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy of 1997, where 59 people died, and over 100 were injured. The series revolves around the lives of Shekhar Krishnamoorthy (played by Abhay Deol) and Neelam Krishnamoorthy (played by Rajshri Deshpande), who lost their children in the tragedy and fought for justice for the victims and their families. The series also features notable actors such as Ashish Vidyarthi, Anupam Kher, Ratna Pathak Shah, Atul Kumar, Ivan Rodrigues, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Shilpa Shukla, Rajesh Tailang, and others.
The reception of the series has been overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising the performances of Abhay Deol and Rajshri Deshpande. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express wrote, “The impact is enhanced manifold by a performance of stupendous power from Rajshri Deshpande as Neelam.” Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the series 4 out of 5 stars, while Deepa Gahlot for Scroll.in praised the show for capturing the poignancy of small moments. Utkarsh Mishra for Rediff.com rated the series 3 out of 5 stars, while Mike McCahill of Variety wrote, ““Trial by Fire” becomes vastly more kaleidoscopic than the linear procedural form typically allows.”
In conclusion, Trial by Fire is a thought-provoking crime drama that sheds light on a tragedy that shook India and its people. The series is a testament to the strength and determination of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The show is available on Netflix and is definitely worth watching for anyone who is interested in Indian history, crime dramas, or powerful performances by some of India’s finest actors.
