After getting a lot of negative feedback for some of his recent projects, filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma is back with a real life saga to experiment with this time. The Attacks of 26/11 is based on the 2008 terrorist attack that took place at the Taj Hotel and Nariman House on November 26 and stars Nana Patekar and Sanjeev Jaiswal. The incident shook the whole country and took away 166 lives. The movie is set to hit the theatres on 1st March and we bring to you the review much in advance, after attending a special screening in Mumbai. Before seeing how the film fares, we would like to first express our solidarity with the victims of the attack.
Story:
The movie starts off with Joint Commissioner of Police, Rakesh Maria (Nana Patejar), narrating the shocking events of 26/11 to a committee. He starts by narrating how the 10 terrorists entered the Mumbai through the Gateway of India by hijacking a boat. One of the terrorists is a 20-yar old, innocent looking Ajmal Kasab (Sanjeev Jaiswal).
The terrorists come in with a set plan and distribute themselves to attack different areas of the city. While two of them attack the famous Leopold Café, two go for the famous Taj Hotel, killing and hurting people in large numbers. They spare neither women nor children. Kasab along with one of his partners attacks the crowded VT station leaving behind a trail of destruction. How the police force fights back and regains control of the city forms the rest of the story.
Positive Points:
The replica of the Taj Hotel created in the movie is fantastic and Ramu’s portrayal of characters is believable and convincing. He has given great importance to the emotional aspects of the attack. How police officials suffered and the sense of loss experienced by people is very clearly shown.
There are some strikingly effective scenes in the movie. The attention to detail is noteworthy. The improvised high capacity magazines held together with duct tape,switching on and off the AK 47’s full auto mode etc..
Speaking of performances, Sanjeev Jaiswal bears remarkable resemblance to Ajmal Kasab.Nana Patekar has given a top notch, seasoned performance and his role is key to the film.
Other actors including Atul Kulkarni and Ganesh Yadav have portrayed their character as police officers with ease. Though most of the events are well known to the public, RGV has still succeeded in keeping the interest of viewers alive in the first half.
Negative Points:
After watching the film, we can say that Ram Gopal Verma’s good old days are not yet back. If a person goes in expecting to see a gripping visual portrayal of the brutal attack that shook the country, he/she may come out disappointed. The director has chronicled the events effectively in the first half, but changes direction completely in the second half.
Nana Patekar’s narration can get very slow at times and may test the patience of viewers in the second half of the movie. Sanjeev Jaiswal overplays his role at times.
After seeing the brutal attacks on VT Station and Leopold Cafe, you expect to see the storming of the Taj by NSG commandos. But apart from a visual hint about their role, nothing else is shown. The end result – no satisfaction.
Climax is slow. The discussion between Nana Patekar and Sanjeev Jaiswal about the philosophy of Jihad and its implications is perhaps good for showcasing the emotional conflicts of a psychopath, but it will be very tough for common viewers to appreciate.
Technical Aspects:
Harshraj Shroff’s cinematography is worth a mention as he manages to capture the brutality effectively. Ram Gopal Verma’s direction is good only in parts. He has succeeded in showcasing the brutality of the attacks effectively, but slips in the second half.
Editing is not effective, especially in the second half.
Verdict:
Overall, ‘The Attacks of 26/11’ is a brave movie. It is more of a realistic and raw depiction of the event rather than a true cinematic adaptation. The first half is very good but the second half is philosophical. As a result, the film can get very slow here. You can give it a shot. This is definitely one of RGV’s best efforts in recent times.
123telugu Rating – 3/5
Reviewed by Neha
(Edited by Mahesh S Koneru)
