See a red door, paint it black!

Hotel Mumbai (English/Hindi; 2018)
Indian-Australian co-production.

You say Islam is a peaceful religion, and these terrorist activities do not represent the true essence of the faith. But, why is it that the cry of an enraged suicidal jihadi bomber and the prayer of desperation and helplessness of his intended victim who is at the cusp of death is one and the same? And it is too numerous to a dhimmi's comfort. There is a huge problem, and the believers have to do a lot to resurrect the right image of the religion. Pussyfooting around it is wrong for PR.

This is what goes through a kafir's mind when he sees a scene from the movie where a terrorist is about to execute his hostage point-blank on her head. He is confused as she recites the Islamic prayer usually gets a mention at the time of death.

'Hotel Mumbai' is an Indo-Australian production which tries to re-enact of one India's worst nightmare when coordinated shootings happened around Mumbai. It was the 26th of November 2008 when ten young Pakistani men landed assumingly alighted a dinghy at a secluded fishermen's wharf. With them, they had automatic rifles and explosives. In a coordinated fashion, as if they had planned this all their lives and with constant communication with their Pakistani contact, these Lashkar-e-Taiba members proceeded on their shoot at six over avenues, Hotel Taj, being one.

Ajmal Kasab, the only captured

perpetrator of the attack.

The city was unprepared to such coordinated attacks, and their police force was ill-prepared for this. They had to wait for the Special Forces from New Delhi for assistance. So, the guests and staff of the hotel had to fend for themselves, dodging the bullets of four gunmen on a shooting spree. Only ten hours after the first shot, did the rapid-action personnel slide down the roof from a helicopter to put an end to the mayhem.

The screenwriters fictionalised three or four characters based on real people who were caught in the hotel. It revolved around a waiter, Arjun Singh (Dev Patel), the chief chef, Hemant Oberoi, a haughty Russian businessman guest and a husband-wife couple with a newborn baby and nanny. It is an extraordinary gritty tale of how ordinary people rose to the occasion to become heroes. It was done in a down to earth manner minus the melodrama of Bollywood and the display of heroic rescue often associated with international pictures. Even though the viewers knew how the siege would end, the element of suspense was held until the very end.

More than ten years after the disaster, many old wounds remain unattended. The ease in which these Pakistani men slipped into the Mumbai fishing wharf is a puzzle. The local fishermen, who by nature are protective of their turf, did confront them of their intentions but were told to 'mind their own business'. A police report made about them by the fishermen remained unresolved.

The attackers were in contact via their mobile lines with their puppet masters in Pakistan all through the siege. The young gunmen were given a minute to minute instructions and even given moral support to stay true to their divine missions. Despite their evil, destructive planning and execution, their ringleader in Pakistan remains at large. Pakistan who admitted playing a role in the attack seems apathetic towards amending their caustic relationship with their neighbour and continue exporting or sponsoring terror activities.

The Indian Police and the previous Indian government administration had a lot of questions to answer for their lack of urgency, inefficiencies and mismanagement. In an interview, Ratan Tata, the Chairman, mentioned that the police had received advance warning of the attacks and that some countermeasures had been taken. Obviously, it did not bear fruition.

1908 Taj Hotel
symbol of strength and resilience of the Indian people

At least 170 people perished in the attack. At least 50% of the victims were the employees of Taj Hotel. It is said one of the reasons why so many employees died is due to their work culture. One of their work ethe is 'guest is God'. Tata employees are said to have a profound attachment to their work, much like how its Chairman, Ratan Tata, treats all levels of his employees - like family. He is easily the richest man in India but does not appear in the who-is-who list of India's most affluent. He gives a huge chunk back to society.

It is ironic that even though Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving perpetrator, had one mind of giving up his life in punishing the infidels who squandered the wealth of his people, he went against all the odds to escape execution. He failed his appeals and clemency from President. His last helpless words were "I swear by Allah, won't do such a thing again". In a single sentence admitting his guilt and regretting his actions.

The often unspoken reason for their mindless activity is poverty. Religion is just a tool to hoodwink the helpless with the promise of monetary assistance to their families and a blissful afterlife in heaven. In this particular episode, there is a hint that even the promised money did not reach the family. The ecstatic afterlife? What a deception?

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