By: Shevaal Singh
Rating : 8/10
Directed by Ram Gopal Varma
Starring :
- Nana Patekar as Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime)
- Sanjeev Jaiswal as Ajmal Kasab
- Atul Kulkarni
- Jitendra Joshi as constable
- Ganesh Yadav as Amar Singh Solanki,captain of trawler MV Kuber
- Farzad Jehani as himself,owner of Leopold Cafe.
- Ravi Kale as sole surviving constable in Police Jeep at Cama Hospital
The frightful terror attacks on November 26, 2008 that shook not just the city of Mumbai but also the entire nation which has left a permanent scar in the hearts of everyone. ‘The Attacks of 26/11’, a film by Ram Gopal Varma, recreates the petrifying events. The filmmaker has firmly said that the film is a tribute to the occurrence and rightly so as he has been able to level-headedly intertwine views attached to the event. Nana Patekar has perfected the role of the then Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Rakesh Maria to disclose the events that had occurred on that ill-fated night. A introspective Nana as Rakesh Maria initiates investigations of this event by linking the chain of events to unravel – how the attackers walked onto the shores of Mumbai, the plan they employed to implement their plan of killing as many people as possible, how the Mumbai police force and the government dealt with the terrorists in a very crisp yet in-depth style.
The focus keeps shifting back and forth from Rakesh Maria to the actual events with the former reflecting deeply and presenting his understanding of the happenings. He briefs the audiences about what is going to unfold, contemplates on the details of the dreadful event, and comes up with valid reasons to support his actions. In its running time, the makers have focused on covering the entire episode of the Mumbai attacks till the death of Ajmal Kasab in 2012
The movie excellently throws light on the many aspects of terrorism in a mature yet moving way. The film highlights how the underhanded motive of the terrorists is self-centered, their philosophy is insincere and how no one can escape the deadly mauls of terrorism. There is a sequence showing the attackers ceaselessly shooting the innocent crowd at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Station and how they spared none be it the Muslim women, the Hindu priest, the rich and the poor, the foreign nationals, children and even animals.
It is a film that is completely performance driven. I would like to throw a word of praise for the casting director here. Debutante Sanjeev Jaiswal, as one of the two key members of the cast, has worked extremely well to portray Ajmal Kasab`s character onscreen. For Nana, this film validates the fact that he can pull off thoughtful, powerful and serious roles like a true performer! After a string of flops, for Ram Gopal Varma who had earlier delivered successful films like ‘Satya’and ‘Company’ this is a comeback of sorts.
`The Attacks of 26/11` will help the filmmaker redeem the ‘brilliant director’ tag. This film will definitely stand out as one of RGV’s best pieces of work as recreating terror and its aftermath on celluloid is no mean feat! This movie is a magnificent tribute to that frightening night that shook the city of dreams (Mumbai) and the rest of the world! I proudly rate this movie 8/10 for its splendid direction, standout performances and flawless recreation of an event that has touched the lives of millions …Hats off to Ram Gopal Varma for this tribute …