The Attacks of 26/11 is a cinematic version of the series of the tragic events which took place on the fateful night of 26/11.
Full credits to Ram Gopal Varma for creating this docu-drama that gives a soulful insight into the emotions behind the tragedy. This movie presents a true and factual progression of unfolding of events on that dreadful night.
It is a cinematic interpretation of the 26/11 actual attacks in Mumbai city. That tragic night of 26 November when 10 terrorists held Mumbai hostage for almost 3 days.
There are some blood-curdling scenes, like how the terrorists capture the fishing trawler Kuber, and then the poor fisher folk crew of the ship are ruthlessly killed.
Approaching the coast of Mumbai, the terrorists take the inflated rubber motor boat and they land up at the coastline opposite Badhwar Park in Colaba.
They disperse in pairs and start with openly shooting the visitors / patrons of Leopold Café. This group was sent with the specific message – to create havoc in the financial capital of India. This would then translate into installing fear in the hearts of millions of Indians.
Such shrewdly was the operation carried out that they targeted only the crowded areas and spots. The agenda was also to shoot at foreigners in the Colaba Café and at the Taj Mahal Hotel which is the pride of India.
This would also send a message to the West that India’s not so safe a destination for holidays and more importantly to announce that terrorism is still active and they could strike any city at their wish.
Terrorists attacking the Leopold Café at Colaba, the massacre at The Taj Mahal Hotel, openly shooting at the innocent public at the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus station and the bomb blast in a taxi are the four major incidents shown in the film.
Nana Patekar is impressively subdued and Jaiswal who plays the character of Ajmal Kasab is well enacted. Even rest of the terrorists are well cast in the drama, almost real like or somewhat so.
The most impressive scene is in the Police Control Room where Nana Patekar witnesses the attacks on television and is just stunned. His mind is just blank to that extent he cannot hear his subordinates nor takes any judgments at that moment.
26/11 is just a somewhat impressive attempt to showcase the incidents that took place that night. Thankfully, it is not preachy or over dramatic.
Here is film writer’s interpretation of depicting the violence, gruesome killings, and a gloomy account of that horrific night. The incidents are shown at a racy pace and that is what keeps the audience hooked on.
On the flip side, the police constables are shown as a pack of jokers post the massacre at Leopold, just hurling stones? And then the police officer and his constables at CST pack more emotion after the carnage, rather than taking quick action to steps to stem / combat the terrorists the cops are shows crying emotionally over dead bodies of their senior.
Credits:
Directed by Ram Gopal Varma
Written by Ram Gopal Varma & Rommel Rodrigues
Produced by Parag Sanghvi
Studio – Alumbra Entertainment
Distributed by Eros International
Cast:
Nana Patekar as Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime)
Sanjeev Jaiswal as Ajmal Kasab
Atul Kulkarni as Inspector on duty at CST
Ganesh Yadav as Amar Singh Solanki ( Fisherman on the trawler MV Kuber)
Jitendra Joshi – constable
Ravi Kale – constable