Posting on his Twitter profile, popular Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma - known for his movies focussing on the Mumbai underworld - said "The Attacks of 26/11" was "the most important film of my career".
With a budget of 400 million rupees ($8.0 million), Varma said the film - shot on location in Mumbai - was primarily targeted for international release and would detail "every aspect of the carnage".
The November 2008 attacks saw 10 heavily-armed gunmen storm targets in Mumbai including luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and a train station.
India blames the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit for training, equipping and financing the Mumbai gunmen with support from "elements" in the Pakistan military.
A low-budget film based on the assault was released in 2010 but was panned by the critics and quickly disappeared.
Varma described the attacks as "one of the most important events that ever happened" and one that rivalled the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States for "sheer complexity".
A relatively unknown theatre actor, Sanjeev Jaiswal, is playing the key role of the sole surviving gunman, Mohammed Kasab, who became the public face of the attacks after he was photographed, gun raised, during a shooting spree in the train station.
Kasab was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 for a series of crimes, including waging war against India. His appeal is currently before India's Supreme Court.
Varma, 49, is a veteran director with nearly 40 films under his belt.
He courted controversy when he was seen touring burned out sections of the Mumbai's landmark Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel just days after the 2008 attacks.
At the time he denied allegations that he was already conducting a recce for a possible film.
The characters in Varma's movie will all speak their native languages, making for a rich linguistic mix of Hindi, Urdu, English and Marathi.
The start of shooting coincided with a visit to Mumbai by Pakistani investigators and lawyers seeking evidence for the prosecution of seven Pakistani suspects linked to the attacks.
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@Great Nation
er... by regional, you mean AfPak??
@Sumair iqbal London.: "Why Director does not start this chapter from Gujrat riots and killings. Which given hardliners out of control enements a reason to work."
1) Watch movies like 'Bombay' and 'A Wednesday'. 2) Ask 'Anjum Chaudhry'...
RGV is indeed a unique director since his movies do have a realistic touch and thrill for everyone. Sarkar and its sequel Sarkar Raj had excellent twists for the viewers especially the latter one. I heard that the director himself has got connections and interactions with Underworld and Mafia and that's how he makes certain revelations in his own way. Since he wants to cover and show “every aspect of the carnage” as per the article, we may see something shocking and interesting. One must not forget,RGV always shows corrupt politicians having friendships and collaborations with gangsters....The movie company did point towards some real life cases too.
Another movie to malign ISLAM and show muslim in a bad light, typical bollywood movies. Bollywood and hollywood movies should be banned from muslim countries as they are corrupting the minds of our youth.
This would not be good move to refresh the bad memories of tangling relations between two. It nations . It would promote hatred between both but nothing. Why Director does not start this chapter from Gujrat riots and killings. Which given hardliners out of control enements a reason to work. As a Pakistani Er do not want voilemce anywhere in the world.
oh come on dear pakistanis......... WE ARE A SUPERPOWER (at least reigonal) . Show some respect....you'll get some
@Iram:
adding to the list...theres a movie lamhaa....although went a flop..but do watch it
@Iram: i think you not seen mission kashmir,roja,tahaan and many more bollywood movie.in india no film is banned but in pakistan banned tere bin laden.
@sonam shyam: Similarly if someone makes a film on Kashmir it will be banned in India.
@Freeman: Yeah..... Movies like 'Bombay' and 'Roja' were hits for the same reason i guess!!
@Gilgit-Baltistan: I guess you could do the role very well.... Please give an audition next time..
@Warsi: "As always they will defame us in front of the whole World. Previously they have done it as well." - Oh we are so sorry... Next time we shall refer you guys for a Nobel peace prize!!!!
One thing is for sure; this film will be banned in Pakistan!
Oh man , not Ram Gopal Verma, this guy is talent gone seriously wrong. Liked his old movies like Satya and Kaun. After making a worst decision to remake Sholay ( how dare he ) he should have bowed out of industry long time ago. Hope he does justice with this movie.
@Warsi: You dance on Indian tunes cause by blood and heart your origins are still deep rooted in "Indian" sub continent. It is your constant madness and foolish greed to associate with Arab rather than India which is keeping your kind confused and full of hatred.
@ Mirza
Kasab can be used as a last name because the word for butcher is actually spelled Qasab. By the way, for your information Qasab is a Farsi/Dari word and not an Urdu word.
Until now whenever Bollywood (Until 90's use to be called Indian film Indusctry) made any movie with the topic like this none of them got any good business on box office and proven to be 100% flopped. This will also go like that. Todays new generation have no time to watch this type of movies which wast their 3 hours for nothing. People want entertainement not emotional desaster.
Why don't India release Mohammad kasab from jail in order to play the key role of sole surviving gunmen?:-p then the movie would be genuine and interesting one.:-)
@Mirza: Funny..I'm from TamilNadu and we call our butchers-"Kasab Bhai".. Cross check if you want..
I do not think its a good idea to publicise and make movies on such tragic events. 166 people lost their lives. The killers did an extremely unislamic crime (if they were muslims) India never provided proof that they were LeT members, just accusations. Moreover it took 3 days for black cat commandos to overcome merely 4 or 5 gunmen holed up in a hotel. It could well be a complicated inside job. 'Ajmal Kasab' was speaking hindi to his interrogators and said 'Bhagwan' would never forgive him. No Pakistani muslim would ever use the word 'Bhagwan' for God.
And then show the movie to the real Kasab.. Let him know what it means to be tortured..