The Attacks of 26/11

About the film

The Attacks of 26/11 is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Ram Gopal Varma, based on the book Kasab: The Face of 26/11 by Rommel Rodrigues about Ajmal Kasab, then sole surviving perpetrator of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The film stars Nana Patekar as Rakesh Maria, then Joint Commissioner of Police and Sanjeev Jaiswal in his film debut, playing the role of terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Plot

The movie focuses on the events surrounding the 2008 Mumbai attacks, following the story of how the terrorists carried out the coordinated strikes on several locations in the city.

The film centres around the character of Rakesh Maria, then Joint Commissioner of Police, and follows his investigation and interactions with the captured terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, who is brought to trial. The film also covers the experiences of the victims, the police, and the effects of the attacks.

Production

On 30 December 2008, the director, Ram Gopal Varma, toured the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel just days after the attacks, drawing widespread condemnation. At the time, Varma called his visit a 'coincidence' and said he had no plans of making a film based on the attacks, but later apologised for his visit prior to the release of the film.

Varma stated that they used sources to research the attacks, including eyewitnesses, police statements, charge sheets and the author of the book, Rommel Rodrigues, whom he described as "a walking encyclopaedia".

Under the art direction of Uday Singh, a replica of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was built with a cost of ₹ 40 million. Varma auditioned 500 applicants and selected Sanjeev Jaiswal to play Ajmal Kasab. The film used real locations and covers the night of 26 November 2008, focusing primarily between 9 PM and 1 AM, when Kasab was caught. The shooting of the film was finished by 11 December 2012 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Release

The first look of the film was revealed on 17 January 2013. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) passed the film, uncut, with an 'Adults Only' certificate. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in both the Panorama and Competition sections. It had its theatrical release on 1 March 2013 to mixed reviews from critics, receiving positive reviews when it was shown at the Films Division Auditorium in Delhi, where several politicians were present.

Reception

Firstpost commended Patekar in his role in their review, saying "Nana holds the film together. He feels every line that he utters. His heart bleeds for each one of the 166 people who died on that night. When he tells Kasab in a choked voice, 'I have a son of your age', Nana isn't faking it. His performance goes way beyond acting."

Subhash K. Jha of the Deccan Herald gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling the movie "a work of riveting resonance" and "one of the best films in recent times on the wages of terrorism". Resham Sengar of Zee News called the film "a moving sketch of the dreadful terror attack", and gave the film 4 stars out of 5. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 3.5 out of 5 and said that the film was "A powerful retelling of a regrettable event in history".

Vaihayasi Pande Daniel of Rediff.com gave it two and half stars, saying "I have a headache. My ears are still ringing. The nausea is just about abating." Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India said "While the thought is poignant, the horror isn't palpable throughout and the execution doesn't cut as deep as the actual tragedy" and gave it two and half stars.

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