Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 25, 2019)

The British-Indian actor Dev Patel’s next outing is in Hotel Mumbai, a realistic movie based on the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. The film is a rendition of the series of events from the terror attacks, focusing on the extraordinary courage that people showed that day while trying to stand up for each other. The films depicts stories about the staff members of a luxury hotel, who saved many lives due to their swift action and presence of mind at the time of the brutal terrorist attacks. Dev, who plays a Sikh in the film, is modelled on a few staff members from the hotel.

Interestingly, the actor convinced his director, Anthony Maras to make his character a Sikh in the film. A source says, “Dev’s insistence stemmed from the fact that post 9/11, Sikhs were often misunderstood. So, with the film, he wanted to bring forth a licit representation of the community on screen. Growing up as an Indian in a post 9/11 world, Dev is aware of the glares that South Asians receive, which stems from lack of knowledge about their cultures. The film attempts to change that. There’s a striking scene where Dev reiterates the importance of wearing a turban for their community. Dev was insistent that the story be retained as it adds nuances.”

Dev explains, “I wasn’t on for the film initially, and I was just meeting Anthony to know more about my role. When I met him, it turned into a seven-hour long session. We spoke in detail about the film, the incident, and that’s when I told him to make my part Sikh. Having seen how the world treated turbaned men with beard after 9/11, I needed to help eradicate these prejudices. That’s why it felt important to make this part Sikh.”