After the attack, filmmakers queue up to shoot

The row over Ram Gopal Verma8217;s tour of the Taj Mahal Hotel after the Mumbai attack may have put the filmmaker on the defensive...

The row over Ram Gopal Verma8217;s tour of the Taj Mahal Hotel after the Mumbai attack may have put the filmmaker on the defensive, forcing him to deny that he was planning to make a film on the subject, but many other filmmakers have no such doubts. According to the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association IMPAA, Mumbai, as many as 18 film titles associated with the Mumbai terror attack have been registered with them.

These include names like 26 Taj, 26/11 Mumbai Under Terror, Operation five-star Mumbai, Taj to Oberoi, Mission Oberoi, Mission Taj, Nariman House, Bird8217;s Point of View Taj Terror and 48 hours at Taj, among others.

According to Ujwala Londhe, 8216;title in-charge8217; at IMPAA, the first title was registered as early as November 288212;which means, before the siege got over and even before the much-publicised Taj tour led by former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh.

8220;Vijay Verma of the Hyderabad-based Salt and Pepper Entertainment was the first person to register the title 26/11 at Mumbai Operation and ever since, more titles have been pouring in,8221; confirmed Londhe.

Filmmaker Akash Sehgal of Tornado Films has registered five titles, including The Taj Encounter and Taj 26. Other film houses to queue up are Red Butterfly Pvt Ltd, Z Films International, and Shivsahi Pictures that have also registered titles to do with 26/11.

8220;I flew from Hyderabad to Mumbai to register the title. I think what happened was horrible and this must be brought before the public,8221; Vijay Verma said. He said the script for the film was almost ready and that it would be a 8220;Hinglish film8221;. 8220;We hope to begin shooting from January 2009 and complete the film by June,8221; he said. Though the cast is still to be decided, Verma said that he hoped to rope in someone like Naseeruddin Shah to play the main lead of a police officer.

Watch out for these

8226; 26/11 at Mumbai Operation

8226; 26 Taj

8226; Taj 26

8226; Taj and Oberoi

8226; The Taj Encounter

8226; 48 hours at Taj

8226; Taj Terror

8226; Bird8217;s Point of View of Taj Terror

8226; City of Crime

8226; 26/11 Mumbai under Terror

8226; 11/26 Operation Taj

8226; Black Tornado

8226; Operation Five-Star Mumbai

8226; Mission Taj

8226; Mission Oberoi

8226; 26 November

8226; Nariman House

8226; Fidayeen

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More