A taut recounting of the brutal attacks: Hotel Mumbai, a review

 I'm not usually one for movies that showcase dramatized versions of real events, but boy howdy did this movie change my mind. I'm sure you all are quite aware of the dastardly and heinous attacks that took place in November of 2008. That fateful few days had with it a pall of gloom and utter darkness on everyone's heads. For the first time in probably a very long time, we Indians stood by in solidarity and unity. Mumbai was set ablaze but ultimately only the strength of the humans spirit triumphed. This movie captures the horrors of the terror attacks that took place in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel specifically and how. It has it all. There are subtle undertones of suspense coupled with the palpable tension, owing to the plot and the sensitive subject matter, there is joy, there is heart and most importantly the showcasing of the collective sadness and broken souls who didn't just stand by and do nothing, they fought despite having all the odds stacked against them.The dialogue or the phrase from the movie -" Guest is god( Athithi Devo Bhava) is by far my favorite dialogue from the movie.

 

One noteworthy advantage was its stellar star-studded cast who have all given sterling, inspired and moving performances in their respective roles. From an impoverished hotel clerk named Arjun played by British-Indian powerhouse Dev Patel to Bollywood's gem Anupam Kher as the head chef Oberoi to even the tall Armie Hammer as a foreign tourist named David and even our very own nefarious Harry Potter baddie Lucius Malfoy aka Jason Isaacs as an irate Russian. They have absolutely nailed it. 

 

The near perfect movie however, has a few flaws. The character foibles are scattered throughout the movie. That part or that slice of life aspect wherein a few of the major characters lacked depth could have been improved. So the film is based on real life events wherein the city of Mumbai was untimely and very unexpectedly a target for attack at its 12 major hot-spots, the most prime of them being the Taj Hotel ,owing to its luxuriousness and opulence. 10 brainwashed terrorists who are barely out of their teens orchestrate a series of mind-numbingly violent and viscerally terrifying attacks of damage to public property and manslaughter seldom seen in any event in history. This prompted me to write a review as it was something that needed to be told, the pain to be exchanged, the sorrow of all those stranded people fighting for their lives to be shared. 

 

Anthony Maras, an Australian-Greek director has really enlivened all our inner human emotions to come to the fore with this one. The carefully planned genocide within the hotel has also been accurately captured without bringing in any unnecessary, useless romantic angles. Its masterful directing and a superbly crafted story-line which is in its essence very simple yet so heartbreaking. It really puts into perspective the demons residing within every human and also angels like the underdog of the whole movie-Arjun. 

 

Very gripping from the get-go, the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks led to a growing abhorrence and loggerheads between India and Pak relations. By the conclusion of the movie, tears were all that I could let out. But also a sense of calm and joy for the sheer fortitude and resilience of the people who did whatever it took to survive, by hook or by crook was something worth capturing on celluloid. Kudos the director for churning out a masterpiece of a movie. It is a lot of things, it will keep you on the edge of your seat, leave you in splits at a few key comic moments, leave you gobsmacked by the bloodshed and gore but also make you ponder on the fragility and the inherent vulnerability in human nature. If nothing, it acts as a motivational work of art that will leave you squeamish and morbidly disturbed by what occurred, but at the end of the day that is the very brilliance of Maras and his work. The terrorists played by practically a bunch of non-existent nobodies really make you hate and despise them which is just a mark of their excellent acting. Full props to them and also to the whole cast and crew for doing ample justice to a very gloomy event that practically stripped away all our faith in humanity. It makes you think and act. Sheer grace by Maras.