MillenniumPost

"MUMBAI DIARIES" | A gripping tale of courage and survival

 15 Sep 2021 5:57 PM GMT  |  ALEN PAUL

A gripping tale of courage and survival

November 26, 2008, is the date no Indian can ever forget. The deadly terrorist attack on the economic capital of India changed a lot overnight while uncountable innocent lives were put at stake.

Ever since the tragedy happened, several films were made from different angles, but it’s the first time that a web series has been rolled out focusing on the plight of medical staff and other frontline workers while dealing with such a momentous crisis.

Directed by Nikhil Advani, the ‘Amazon Prime Video’ series follows the story of Bombay General Hospital’s medical staff and their acts of bravery and survival during the attack. Simultaneously, it gives a peek into the incidents that took place at the Taj Palace Hotel and how a journalist tries to report all these incidents, amid the horrors of terrorism and fear.

The medical drama will definitely keep the audience on their toes and the thought of what pain and horror the medical staff must have gone through during the attack is sure to make one shudder.

To talk of the acting chops of the lead actors, Mohit Raina as the headstrong Dr Kaushik Oberoi is fabulous. His’ is a character that never backs away from taking risks and helping others in troubling times. Raina easily handles his character’s stubborn yet caring attitude while fighting his inner demons. Tina Desai’s role as his on-screen wife is yet another character who risks her life to save the guests from the terrorists’ clutches at the Palace. The performance is undoubtedly commendable.

The most disappointing thing to watch is Konkona Sen Sharma’s brilliant acting skills foiled down into nothingness. In her interviews prior to the show’s release, she talked about how she felt the emotions while playing her character. However, to the audience’s surprise, an actor like her could not even match the performance of her co-actors.

One would be surely glad to witness Shreya Dhanwanthary’s potentiality as an actor. A journalist, who is ambitious enough to make her mark in the news world, Shreya’s performance is totally convincing. She does her best to get the latest scoop from the hospital. But on the way realises that she is not prepared for what lies in the belly of the beast. Shreya gives us the exact picture of a journalist who foolishly puts others in danger for the sake of her career.

The supporting cast including Natasha Bharadwaj, Satyajeet Dubey, Mrunmayee Deshpande manages to fit perfectly, making the scenes more believable.

Despite the show presenting the right sequence of events, the editing somehow comes off as an averagely accomplished feat. At times, the focus shifts too quickly between two attack spots- making it difficult for watchers to delve into the scene.

As far as cinematography is concerned, it surely deserves a mention. In fact, the entire technical team – sound designer to camera person, every single person has done a terrific job.

Overall, with each scene folding into a terrifying nightmare, the series keep viewers at the edge.

‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ delivers an eye-changing perspective of the 2008 attack through the eyes of medical staff. Except for a few hitches, the story’s perspective remains outstanding. It is one of the must-watch series from the recent releases.

Share it