18 December,2020 07:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
A still from Mumbai Diaries 26/11
On the 12th anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Nikkhil Advani released the teaser of Mumbai Diaries 26/11, starring Konkona Sensharma, Mohit Raina and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Soon after, a debate ensued on Twitter, with a section of netizens posing the same question that had been raised during the release of Anthony Maras's film, Hotel Mumbai (2019): Is it yet another example of tragedy porn?
Taking the critique in his stride, Advani, who is dabbling in long-format storytelling over four years after POW: Bandi Yuddh Ke, asserts that only in understanding the past, can we strive for a better future. "One of my favourite books begins with a quote by US novelist George Santayana: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The book in question is The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. We should never let go of the memory of the past," says the creator-director.
Also read: Nikkhil Advani's medical drama Mumbai Diaries 26/11 to launch in March 2021
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Although the Amazon Prime Video offering has its roots in the terror attacks that took place at the Cama Hospital - among other venues - on November 26, 2008, Advani clarifies that it isn't a retelling of the events of that fateful night. "The event is only a catalyst in our narrative. Our show is a medical drama about the doctors and nurses in a government hospital. It is an ode to the first responders. We often take them for granted. In the show, we delve into their lives to understand that the people, who are meant to heal us, are quite broken themselves."
As the series is set to release in a post-pandemic world, the creator says it acts as a reminder to acknowledge the contribution of the frontline health workers who served the community selflessly, working long hours and risking their lives. "Due to COVID-19, people have got a glimpse of government hospitals in this country. But one must realise and remember that this is what doctors and nurses have been dealing with on a regular basis."
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