Sanket’s Review: “The attacks of 26/11” is well executed film.

Cast: Nana Pathekar

Director: Ram Gopal Verma

Length : 1.55 hours approximately

Tapping on the real life events of Mumbai’s 26/11 mishap, this weeks new release THE ATTACKS OF 26/11 directed by Ram Gopal Verma is engaging, thrilling and emotionally grounded. It’s a film that’s far from perfect, thanks to countless irrelevant slo-mos that are depicted that brings down the momentum. Yet, it’s a pat on the back of RGV who successfully manages to give us a bird’s eye view on the whole terrorist attack. In just 115 minutes we are served with the entrance of terrorists to Mumbai till the execution of Ajmal Kasab. Narrated through the eyes of Nana Pathekar, the film enjoys a bumper advantage because its tracking the incidents which are real and thus very familiar to the audience. And thus, it won’t really take any extra effort to create tautness among the viewers.

The film straight away starts with the major portions. Although the scene at the ship is too dragged and stapled with loud background score, yet we are anticipating the next reel. Just when the first bullet is fired, this film goes on a new high. The episodes are thrilling and shocking. It might dismiss you the fact that there is very noisy bullet firing and might struck at your ears. But it definitely gives the authenticity constraint a boost that it required. The direction by RGV is very conventional and routine. His camera flocks around the people, just to derive emotional interludes, who are soon to be the victims of the attacks. Frankly, such gimmicks are too redundant to use in today’s films. The episode of attack at Taj Mahal Hotel is too long with too much of time wasted to make the film cinematically enthralling! However, the episode of firing at CST station

The second half is more engaging, especially when the terrorist is caught by the police officers. However, it’s the last 20 minutes where THE ATTACKS of 26/11 makes its mark. The scene where Nana Pathekar confronts the character of Kasab is highly nail-biting. Also the scene where Nana Pathekar in a horrific mood tries to give Kasab a lesson of religion and humanity will keep you numb. Its moments like these where RGV strikes gold and displays sheer amaze at helm of direction.

The background score is outstanding at times. The screenplay is sharp especially post-intermission, but there is large amount of benefit the writers take as its just research that would take them to make a riveting script. Yet, they never fail to inject cinematic conjunctions between one after the other scene. The dialogues are fabulous, especially towards the end. The dialogues mouthed by Nana Pathekar are clap-worthy and evokes sentimental affiliation.

It is Nana Pathekar, who unimpeachably, remains the soul of the film. He is energetic in his scenes. Be it the confrontation moments or the narrating sequences, he gives a much required support. An excellent performance there! The character of Ajmal Kasab may have very similar looks, but his acting is so puerile that he manages to bring laughs, that despite he is in such terrifying phase, when he is giving his monologue on his religion.

Still, it’s a film you must watch if you are interested in how’s and where’s and when’s of this shocking, inhuman terrorist attack. It’s a well executed film by the director who isn’t really in the form, but yet manages to extract fabulous performance out of Pathekar and also does extremely well with his camera too. Yes, some flaws do come across but these are few and far between.

Rating – 3/5 (Good)