‘1232 Kms’ review: A hard-hitting documentary on the plight of migrant workers during the Covid-19 lockdown

'1232 Kms' explores the human cost of the migrant exodus following the Covid-19 lockdown

Director: Vinod Kapri

Rating: 4/5

It is a documented fact that migrant workers in India faced what many described as an existential crisis following the Covid-19 lockdown last year. The ‘new normal’ forced them to cover long distances (often on foot) in a bid to reach their native villages. Director Vinod Kapri revisits the issue in his latest documentary 1232 Kms.

It highlights the challenges faced by seven migrant labourers as they head home while braving the pandemic and lockdown curbs. The one fact that becomes pretty clear right from the word go is that 1232 Kms focuses on the ‘human cost’ of the issue without getting into the socio-political discourse surrounding the topic. This proves to be a wise approach as it makes the documentary a lot more relatable.

As 1232 Kms progresses, Kapri explores the reasons that compelled the workers to undertake the longest journey of their lives. In a telling segment, one of the migrants talks about missing the company of his wife. In another equally touching portion, another labourer touches upon his bond with his mother. The ‘maa’ sentiment adds more depth to 1232 Kms.

The documentary also highlights how certain people helped the workers with food and shelter during their journey while others were not too welcoming. Kapri once again keeps things neutral by adopting a matter-of-fact approach in these segments.

The O Re Bidesiya song, rendered by Rekha Bhardwaj, has been used reasonably well in 1232 Kms and does a good job of upping its recall value without compromising on authenticity. The Marenge To Wahin song too hits the right notes with Sukhwinder Singh’s vocals leaving an impact. Gulzar’s hard-hitting lyrics also add a new dimension to the song. Music Director Vishal Bharadwaj, who had previously collaborated with the Sadma lyricist and ‘Sukhi’ for films such as Omkara and Haider, proves once again that he knows how to bring out the best in them.

The production values are up to the mark given the fact that 1232 Kms was shot without a professional crew. The other technical aspects have been handled reasonably well.