The Attacks Of 26/11 Movie Review

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Cast: Nana Patekar, Atul Kulkarni and Sanjeev Jaiswal

Ram Gopal Varma is known to have a penchant for raw, unpolished cinematic style. Blood and guts are like butter and toast for this visceral filmmaker. And yet in past works he’s managed to capture a sense of human emotion through gory and violent presentation. Not in recent works, which have been appalling to say the least. The Attacks Of 26/11 is classic RGV material. It’s raw to the extent that its untamed violence makes it a tad repulsive. But it also reminds you of the ugly truth. That terrorist attack on Mumbai was far more brutal than we wish to remember. This film is like an inconvenient truth. You don’t want to accept it. You don’t have the courage to deny it.

The build up shows how the terrorists made their way to Mumbai via the sea route. The band of terrorists which includes Ajmal Kasab (Sanjeev Jaiswal), are depicted as evil-looking young men with perpetual morbidity on their faces. Of course it’s a cinematic liberty to make them look evil, of which you’re warned before the film in a disclaimer. No sooner, the terror attacks are launched on Café Leopold, The Taj Hotel, CST Station and Cama Hospital. Believe you me, the film makes no effort in sensitizing its subject or the proceedings. RGV splatters blood with gusto and has the menacing terrorists rain bullets on innocents, children, toddlers and dogs. Yes these visuals are true, but they’re also disturbing. Whether RGV should’ve been more sensitive in portraying reality is a matter of opinion. But watching the terrorists kill innocent people with clinical indifference evokes deep emotions in the viewer.

Having said that, this reign of terror on your senses would’ve been down right condemnable without Nana Patekar’s presence. Playing the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police Rakesh Maria’s character, Nana infuses acceptance to the situation. His fantastic performance and dialogue capture the sentiments of both the authorities and the common man. When he confesses to wanting to hurt Kasab his words resonate your thoughts. And when he defuncts Kasab’s myths of Jihad, you feel the irony.

The Attacks of 26/11 is not a film for sensitive audiences and / or the meek-hearted. It’s unapologetic about its violent stance. The loud intimidating background score proves it. But more importantly the film is passionate in its recreation of a horror most people would not want to recollect. That RGV refrains from ludicrous camera work and concentrates on bare emotions is testament to his honest attempt at retelling this tale. This is a must watch