It is 12 years since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and the tragic chapter in modern Indian history continues to linger on the canvas of showbiz.
Over a decade has passed but the incident continues inspiring filmmakers to look back at the horrid incident, and attempt recreating the event from different perspectives.
From the valour of the brave who fought terror, to the grief of the people who lost loved ones, to the security loopholes, to probing the terrorist psyche and more -- filmmakers continue to reflect various realities associated with the tragedy.
Coming up soon is Nikkhil Advani's much-awaited web series "Mumbai Diaries 26/11", starring Konkona Sensharma and Mohit Raina. While the plot has been kept under wraps, Advani's show is said to narrate a fictionalised account of the attack with focus on events at the Cama Hospital, among other venues.
For some, it is about setting up a tryst with a life less ordinary. When Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu decided to get into film production, he chose a script that salutes 26/11 hero Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando who lost his life in the attacks. Titled "Major", the Sashi Kiran Tikka directorial stars Telugu actor Adivi Sesh as the titular martyr. Mahesh Babu has opted to film the biographical drama in Telugu as well as Hindi for a pan-Indian reach.
The fact that the tragedy continues to be relevant for the audience is underlined by the success of the recent web show "State Of Siege: 26/11", which streamed earlier this year.
With actors Arjun Bijlani, Arjan Bajwa and Vivek Dahiya playing NSG commandos, the show narrates the untold stories of 26/11, primarily by highlighting the valour of the men in uniform. In fact, the positive response of their 26/11 saga has prompted the makers to convert "State Of Siege" into a franchise. They will soon be back with the web film, "State Of Siege: Akshardham".
Neeraj Pandey's spy action thriller series "Special Ops" is a fictional story, but it takes inspiration from the role of Indian intelligence in a series of real terror attacks that India has faced over the last 19 years, including the 26/11 attacks. In a highlight scene of the show, Himmat Singh (essayed by Kay Kay Menon) is seen interrogating terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
The attacks of 26/11 have spawned many films over the years, though not all have been equally commendable. One can recall Anthony Maras' internationally-produced "Hotel Mumbai", featuring Dev Patel and Anupam Kher. Ram Gopal Varma made "The Attacks Of 26/11". There is a short film, "Rogan Josh", starring Naseeruddin Shah, which depicts the catastrophic effect of the tragedy on a family.
In a more commercial Bollywood space, there has been Kabir Khan's "Phantom", which navigates the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks with actors Katrina Kaif and Saif Ali Khan in leading roles.
Among projects coming up right now is an American TV series based on the masterminds of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The limited series will encapsulate the lives of David Coleman Headley and his alleged accomplice in the 2008 attacks, Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Not much has been divulged about the project yet.
