"They didn't spare anyone," a bunch of desis were talking among themselves as they left the Regal Cinema at Union Square in New York City on Saturday February 10, 2007 after watching Black Friday, the movie based on the Bombay bomb blasts of 1993.

How true.

In a low key fashion and without the garish excesses typical of Hindi cinema, Black Friday is a stark indictment of all those involved in the the serial bomb blasts of March 12, 1993 that cost 257 people their lives and injured over 700.

Muslims, Hindus, corrupt police officers, Dawood Ibrahim, politicians, the government, the system and Pakistan all come under the unsparing, critical glare of the lens.

More than just a preface or an account of the bomb blasts, Black Friday also takes a close look at the lives of some of the alleged low-level perpetrators on the lam after the blasts.

Unlike most Bollywood movies built on the crude scaffolding of big-name stars and their crude gyrations to loud music, Black Movie has a powerful story to work with.

The star of this fine movie is the compelling story - the bomb blasts, the conspiracy that preceded it and the hunt for the alleged perpetrators.

There are moments when the narrative sags and the movie fails to keep the audience engaged. We'd have liked better photography and a tighter script overall.

Also, the manipulation of religious sentiments of the underlings by the vengeful Tiger Memon fails to come through strongly. Tiger Memon leaves for Dubai before the blasts leaving behind the underlings to implement his devilish plan and face the music subsequently.

Kay Kay Menon as the police officer Rakesh Maria determined to quickly nab the suspects, Pavan Malhotra as the vengeful Tiger Memon and Aditya Srivastava as the embittered Muslim Badshah Khan shine in their respective roles.

(The Indian government has named Ibrahim Memon a.k.a Tiger Memon the main conspirator of the Bombay bomb blasts but has been unable to nab him.)

Black Friday is finally seeing the light of the day after delays owing to legal issues.

Although the movie was completed a few years back, its release in theatres was held up after some of the alleged perpetrators of the blasts - and named in the movie - asked the court to stay its release arguing that it would prejudice public opinion against them and affect the outcome of the verdict. The court accepted the argument of the alleged perpetrators and stayed the release of the movie. The special court in Mumbai handling the case recently announced its verdict.

The movie is based on the book Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts by crime reporter S. Hussain Zaidi. ... More ... Collapse

The jinx is over and a film directed by Anurag Kashyap's has finally released, and the first reaction to Black Friday is that only a director with a great deal of fortitude, conviction and passion for cinema can dare to take on such a subject and that too with whole-hearted honesty. Unlike Mani Ratnam's Guru, which treated a very safe path by not exposing real names and ensuring that the 'good guys' always remained good, Anurag's film exposed the truth behind the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, by using the real names of all those involved (in most cases) and not making any attempt to soften the blow of reality. However, the cut-line of the film "The Shocking Truth Behind the 93 Bomb Blast" is also one of the drawbacks of the film, because by now, audiences are already aware of all of the events and the people involved in the 1993 blasts and hence Black Friday does not reveal anything new and shocking.

On viewing the film, it becomes blatantly clear that the film had to be banned for so long not because of the fear of the reaction it would cause, but simply because the case on the blasts was still in the Courts, and the honesty that prevails in this film inspired by S. Hussain Zaidi's book would have clearly raised havoc on the proceedings.

The film begins outside The Bombay Stock Exchange, Dalal Street, and the blasts begin almost immediately. Almost on silent, with no background the blasts occur and bloody bodies are shown strewn all over the place. This image itself will be a bit of a put off for many as in the attempt to maintain realism, the visuals are extremely graphic and bring back horrific memories of that fateful day.

The problem with the film is it never takes on the tone of a feature film in terms of the narrative, nor does it take on the tone of a documentary and hence the purpose of the film is lost in the process. If the film were to be told in terms of the chapters of the original book, then why have only select chapters been used? Although there are some stupendous performances like Kay Kay Menon as the Commissioner of Police who will not let his team go home until they crack the case and Pawan Malhotra as Tiger Menon, one of the prime accused on who the film is based. The surprise performance comes from Aditya Shrivastava as Badshah Khan, one of those involved in the bombs who post the blasts finds himself running helter-shelter for the protection and support promised to him (and the rest of the men who planted the bombs) by the D company. However, it is Badshah Khan's role which also is a set back in the narrative of the film as a good 45 minutes is devoted just to Badshah Khan and his running from the police and looking for protection. The film even goes a step further and attempts to evoke sympathy for Dawood in the scene where the broken bangles are sent to him!

The film definitely tries to stick the facts without glorifying details (although the foot chase sequence which last almost 15 minutes is a bit too much) one can not help wonder if Anurag Kashyap played it safe with the screenplay by ensuring that the film does not go against the terrorist and underworld completely and almost looks at justifying their actions.

The cinematography (Nataraja) is weak, not because of the desire to make the film look really and gritty but somehow the fact that production values were low is evident in the way that the film is shot although some of the hand held camera portions should be applauded.

Lastly, although the film does not really open up any unexposed elements which people have not already read about or heard in regards to the blasts, it will succeeded in reminded people of that fateful day, a memory many have tried to bury. A great attempt by Anurag Kashyap at hard hitting, meaningful cinema and we are sure to expect some great work from in the future, but Black Friday leaves you slightly disappointed. ... More ... Collapse

Very realistic, Almost Scary recount of the Bombay Blasts in 1993. Everyone has done a great job of acting and this is one movie that really brings to light the terror and the risk and vulnerbility that we as people of India are exposed to on a daily basis... ... Collapse