A real-life thriller

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2019)

Based on true events: in November, 2008, ten young jihadist terrorists from Pakistan went on a murderous rampage in Mumbai, India, killing over 160 people. A fictionalized account of the events is re-enacted focussing on the terror inflicted on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. ("Hotel Mumbai" is an Australian/Indian/USA co-production.)
The film begins well setting up the audience as it introduces various members of staff and guests and their personal lives. One staff member is Arjun (Dev Patel) who has a happy family life even though he, his pregnant wife, and young daughter live in a home whose limits make it lightyears away from the luxurious hotel where Arjun works. In getting to know the various characters, the viewer is later left wondering who will survive and who will not.
The directing (by Anthony Maras) and the editing (by Maras and Peter McNulty) contribute to a superb thriller which is all the more powerful as it is based on a true story. Some situations increase the tension including the fact that the Mumbai police department was never equipped for such a catastrophe. Similarly, the dialogues between the young terrorists and their leader mastermind are a shocking example of what happens when evil is bred with ignorance. At times, the battle of ideology creates a conflict in deciding who is killed and who is not - adding even more tension to the climax.
The many fine performances also make a solid contribution. Among the standouts is Anupam Kher as the hotel's main chef. His controlling, persnickety attitude is amusing in the beginning while it is later used to great effect in the more dramatic elements of the narrative.
A moving finale is the perfect conclusion to this stunning thriller.