Ram Gopal Varma had said he won't make a film on 26/11, but he never said he won't go back on his words (RGV to make the movie)

RGV who had seen the devastation at Taj hotel post 26/11 attack first hand says the idea for the film stuck him only now. Also Riteish Deshmukh won't star in it.

Ram Gopal Varma has finally announced that he will be making a film on the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The film is tentatively titled '26/11'. Says the maverick filmmaker, "26/11 is a date no Indian will ever forget. The three-day live telecast of the terrorist carnage had people's eyes glued to the television sets across world".

Three years back, RGV's walk through the half-burnt Taj hotel accompanied by the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and his actor son Riteish Deshmukh had led to speculations that he might be going to make a film on the attacks then. But Varma had denied he was invited by Deshmukh and his son to visit Taj so that he could see the devastation first hand and portray it realistically in a movie.

"I only got the idea now. I have enough knowledge and understanding of the events now. Also, at that point the allegations were about Riteish being a part of this project, which he is not," says Varma.

Ram Gopal Varma with Vilasrao Deshmukh and his son Riteish Deskhmukh

He adds, "Everyone more or less has seen or heard of what happened during that time. But my attempt now would be not only to capture the physical aspect but also behind the scenes aspects of what exactly happened from the time Kasab and rest of the team landed on Amar Singh Solanki's trawler in the high seas, till Kasab's heroic capture by the late Tukaram Ombale at Girgaum Chowpatty. This will be inter-cut with what the various gallant police officers did in their attempt to get the situation under control."

Varma is being assisted by Rommel Rodrigues, author of 'Kasab the face of 26/11', who has an extensive and encyclopedic knowledge of the event but the film will not be based on the book. The film would be made for both national and international audiences. It will have completely new cast to create a heightened sense of reality.

"After my tryst with so called the underworld films, I would consider this film as a greatest challenge of my career", concludes Ramu.