One Night in Bhopal

One Night in Bhopal recounts the devastating industrial disaster that occurred on December 2, 1984, in Bhopal, India. The documentary focuses on the events of that fateful night when a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant claimed thousands of lives and affected hundreds of thousands more.

Through a combination of dramatic re-enactments and eyewitness accounts, the film presents the stories of several survivors, including a doctor who had previously worked at the plant, a night worker responsible for monitoring the system, a young boy who lost his family, and the police chief who attempted to manage the crisis. The narrative traces the sequence of events leading up to the disaster, highlighting the failure of multiple safety measures and the lack of adequate emergency response plans.

The documentary sheds light on the long-term consequences of the disaster, detailing the ongoing health issues faced by survivors and the environmental impact on the surrounding area. It also raises questions about corporate responsibility, government oversight, and the challenges faced by the affected community in seeking justice and compensation.

The film provides context for the disaster by exploring Union Carbide’s initial presence in Bhopal as a source of economic growth, and how cost-cutting measures and lax safety protocols may have contributed to the catastrophe. It also touches on the efforts of local journalist Rajkumar Keswani, who had warned about potential risks at the plant months before the disaster.