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Yesterday, I watched the movie Hotel Mumbai. This fiction movie is based on the 26 November 2008 Mumbai terror attack and it is not released in India.
Brief introduction of the movie is below –
- Duration – 123 Minutes
- Release Date – 29 March 2019 in the USA
- Director: Anthony Maras
- Writers: John Collee, Anthony Maras
- Stars (Characters): Dev Patel (Hotel Staff), Armie Hammer (David), Nazanin Boniadi (Zahra), Anupam Kher (Main Chef Oberoi), Jason Isaacs (Russian Guest – Vasili) – [Left to right in the trailer thumbnail image]
Trailer
Quick background of 26/11 Attack –
2008 Mumbai Terror attack is also known as 26/11, when 10 members of Pakistan based and ISI supported terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba entered in to India using Arabian sea route and attacked several parts of the India’s financial capital and biggest city Mumbai, in a very well-coordinated way. They were continuously being instructed by their handlers based in Pakistan. In this terror attack, At least 174 people died, including 9 attackers, and more than 300 were wounded.
Movie Plot
The story of the movie Hotel Mumbai revolves around 3 main characters (or better character group). First, a rich family who wants to save each other and stay together, Second, Hotel staff lead by Anupam Kher, who is trying to save everyone’s life and last, terrorists who were too ill-motivated to see anything right or wrong, and had single intention to kill innocents for no reason.
Rating – 8/10
As I have put the whole thing in 10 points and 8 points did very well but I am not convinced with other two points.
# 1- ONE GOD – Different Interpretation
In beginning, Main chef (Anupam Kher) echoes the Indian culture by equating Guests with God. It is English translation of “Atithi devo bhav” which is originally taken from Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli I.11.2 and not just by saying this verse rather the whole staff followed this ideology to protect the guests even risking their own life.
On the other hand, Terrorists were chanting “Allah hu Akbar” means God is Great and in the name of God, they were killing innocents Indian, Americans, Russians and Jews (which is not shown in movie).
That really confuses any common man like me why there are so many interpretations of God, while as per my learning – God is only to show us a
# 2 – Search for Paradise
When terrorists entered the luxurious The Taj Hotel, they say it looks like paradise, but they didn’t take a second to change that paradise into hell by shooting everyone out there. In last, their handler says – God a
How ironical is that? Terrorists are in search of paradise by doing Jehad and they are making the paradise on earth a hell and that too for the something they have never seen and shall never get. The same thing they did with Kashmir and any terrorism affected country in the planet, irrespective of religion and sects.
#3 – Ill Motivated Terrorists
In movie, hatred against India and non-Muslims was shown perfectly. Their handler continuously motivates them to kill more and more people as that is adding glory to the god. For Mumbai skyline handler bull says – they stole these from us.
Movie covered that perfectly.
#4 – Immoral with Infidels
Handler bull orders one terrorist to search passport of one slain lady. He asks him to search in her bra and when terrorist hesitates, then handler says that they are infidels and nothing is immoral and unethical with that.
# 5 – Unprepared and under armed Local Police
This side of Mumbai Police is also filmed perfectly as this was the fact. Terrorists were highly trained and heavily armed while police were with 303 rifles and pistol with limited count of bullets. With this too, officers from Mumbai Police never sit back and performed their best duties and never hesitated in making their supreme sacrifice.
At that time, special commandos have to come from 800 miles away, national capital Delhi and this delayed the rescue process. Taking a lesson for this ghastly attack, Mumbai and India is better prepared.
# 6 – Irresponsible Media
Media role was widely criticized during the whole coverage of this unfortunate incident. That is well documented in movie, when handler instructs that from news coverage, they learned that security forces are in this specific area of the hotel so you got to kill as many as you can as they don’t have much time left and consequently terrorists intensified their attacks and killed more people.
# 7 – Is that really a religious fight?
When Zahra was reciting verses from QURAN, then also handler bull orders one terrorist to shoot her. That implicates the real and personal motives of these type of evils.
In another incident, one terrorist calls his family to if they are getting the promised money and family gave negative answers, but family members were also so ill motivated that they said whatever you are doing that is for God and they are proud of it.
Movie score good on this point as well.
# 8 – Performing their Duties
Movie portrayed very well how everyone is performing their specified duties.
David tried all bits to save his family. Nanny did her best to save the kid. Hotel staff stood like soldiers to protect their guests. Russian guest sacrificed his life to save the humanity. Mumbai police officers made their best contribution and in the last, all terrorists did their duties of jehad as per their full capacity.
Everything is bundled perfectly in 123 minutes.
# 9 – Main culprits were NOT named.
Based on all the investigations, surveillance reports done by India, USA and Israel, everyone know the real person behind the attack but even in the end notes of the movie, Lashkar-e-Taiba or Pakistan intelligence ISI is never named for this heinous attack, but yes, Thanks to directors for mentioning that terrorists are still at large in Pakistan.
# 10 – Unnecessary quote of Russia in Afghanistan
When the Russian guest’s identity was revealed to be in the Russian special forces in Afghanistan, I didn’t find statement relevance when he says that he f##ked their mother and sister. That terrorism was NOT against India, USA or Israel or any other country but that was and
Overall it is an awesome movie which perfectly pictures the ordeal of everyone who had been there, seeing their death a few inches away and big salute and respect to everyone except those enemies of humanity.
Succinctly written review. Captured the heart of the movie with the salient points captured. Glad to note that you captured details just enough
Thanks Ashish for your comment, It is very motivating.