The infamous night of 26 November 2008 will remain an unforgettable one for any resident or traveller in Mumbai. The city was beseiged by one of the most fearsome and notorious terrorist attacks in the country’s history. Yet, the night also brought out stories of survival, courage and kindness from the most unlikely common residents of the city. Hotel Mumbai deals with some of them who were stuck in the posh Taj Mahal hotel during the attack.
The trailer begins with the simple sight of Dev Patel as a Taj employee, Arjun, making his way from his less than average household to the posh, disciplined establishment. Anupam Kher plays the Head chef Hemant Oberoi who runs the hotel like an army barracks and expects the best for his guests. Among the guests are Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, and Jason Isaacs, who are tourists in the city.
Except, they are all stuck together when the terrorists wreak havoc on the city. Out of their kindness, the Taj opened its doors to the afflicted citizens, providing safe haven. It was this very gesture that also allowed the terrorists to slip into the doors and attack the guests and employees.
The film is directed by Australian writer-director-producer Anthony Maras.
The trailer is sharply cut and captures the conflicts, suspense and tragedy that took place within those walls. Even as the police forces sought out a way to fight the unexpected attack, it was the exemplary courage of the employees and guests that helped save lives. As one of the employees remarks “I have worked here for 35 years. This is my home.”
The sight of people cowering from the bullets, and the fear is palpable through the trailer, and particularly impactful for any resident of Mumbai who lived through the night.
The film will be released in theatres in March this year, and on Netflix in September.