Bombay's Enduring Legacy: 30 Years of Love, Struggle, and Mani Ratnam's Magic

Thirty years after its release, Mani Ratnam's Bombay remains a landmark in Indian cinema for its bold narrative and emotional power. Set in the background of the 1992–93 Bombay riots, the film follows a young interfaith couple's struggle for love and harmony amidst communal unrest. What is unique about Bombay is the courage of Ratnam in engaging with recent, hurtful history through the intimate lens of a family, raising pressing questions of identity, separation, and hope in a plural society.

 

The film's impact is increased by A.R. Rahman's haunting, classic score-particularly the 'Bombay Theme'-that became a national conscience and a landmark in Indian film music. Despite controversy and calls for bans, Bombay has withstood the test of time as a testament to the power of art to challenge, heal, and inspire. Its message of love and humanity, simplistic though it may be, remains profoundly pertinent in the world today.

 

Source: Indian Express, Wikipedia