Bombay

Story:

Bombay is a Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala. It is the second film in Ratnam’s trilogy that explores human relationships against the backdrop of Indian politics, following Roja (1992) and preceding Dil Se.. (1998).

The story revolves around an inter-religious family in Bombay during the Bombay riots, which occurred between December 1992 and January 1993 following the demolition of the Babri Masjid, leading to Hindu-Muslim tensions.

Released on 10 March 1995, Bombay received both critical acclaim and commercial success. It was screened at various international film festivals, including the Philadelphia Film Festival in 1996. The film’s soundtrack, composed by A. R. Rahman, earned him his fourth consecutive Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) and is considered one of the greatest Indian soundtracks of all time.

However, the film sparked considerable controversy for its portrayal of inter-religious relations between a Muslim woman and a Hindu man and was banned in Singapore and Malaysia. The film was ranked among the top 20 Indian films in the British Film Institute’s rankings.