Precarious Lives of the Proletariat: Exploring the Human-Induced Catastrophe in the web series The Railway Men: The Untold Story of Bhopal 1984 (2023)

Shibu Gorai^1*  & Shri Krishan Rai^{2   
1} Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology Durgapur. *Corresponding author.
² Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology Durgapur.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.19g
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Abstract

This study explores the concept of ‘slow violence,’ a term coined by Rob Nixon to describe the insidious, often unnoticed effects of power imbalances over time. It examines how ‘state vampirism’ and ‘industrial capitalism’ oppress marginalized populations, with a focus on India’s dependency on countries like the USA. The research juxtaposes exploitation and deprivation in human-induced disasters, such as the Bhopal Gas tragedy (1984) and Chornobyl (1986), through the lens of Marxist subalternism. It also analyzes the portrayal of these themes in the 2023 Netflix series “The Railway Men: The Untold Story of Bhopal 1984,” highlighting the plight of slum dwellers near Bhopal’s carbide factory. Ultimately, this paper questions the victimization process by capitalist multinationals, positioning Bhopal as a prime example of ‘corporate violence.’

Keywords: Precarity, slow violence, Marxist subalternism, Bhopal gas tragedy, state vampirism