- Kangana Ranaut's film highlights healthcare workers' courage during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks
- Terrorists entered Cama Hospital, where over 150 patients were present
- Nurse Anjali Kulthe saved 20 pregnant women and helped deliver a baby amid gunfire
Kangana Ranaut's upcoming film Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is bringing attention to a largely untold chapter of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
While the tragedy is often remembered through the stories of police officers, commandos, and survivors, the film shines a light on a group of ordinary healthcare workers who displayed extraordinary courage when terror hit Mumbai's Cama Hospital.
Set against the backdrop of one of India's darkest nights, Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata highlights the sacrifices made by nurses and hospital staff who continued caring for patients despite being caught in the middle of a terrorist attack.
Among the real-life heroes whose story inspired the film is nurse Anjali Kulthe, who helped save 20 pregnant women and assisted in the delivery of a baby while gunfire and explosions rattled the hospital.
Gunshots rang through the corridors. Hand grenades exploded outside. Terrorists had entered the hospital compound, and fear gripped everyone inside. Yet amid the chaos, hospital staff refused to abandon their duty, creating one of the most remarkable stories of courage from the 26/11 attacks.
When Terror Hit Cama Hospital
On the night of November 26, 2008, terrorists launched coordinated attacks across Mumbai, targeting multiple locations and leaving the city under siege for nearly three days.
At around 9.30 pm, staff at Cama Hospital received information that the terrorists who had opened fire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station were moving towards the hospital.
Moments later, gunshots could be heard from a lane behind the building.
Nurse Anjali Kulthe, who was on duty that night, later described the terrifying scene that unfolded before her eyes.
"Looking out of the window, we could see two terrorists running and the police firing at them. Then the terrorists vaulted over the low gate and entered the hospital premises. I saw they had shot the two security guards, who were lying in a heap. When they spotted us at the window, they opened fire at us and one of our workers got injured. I took her to the casualty and informed everyone that the terrorists had entered the hospital," she told NDTV in a previous interview.
What had started as another working day quickly turned into a fight for survival.
More than 150 patients were inside Cama Hospital when terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail Khan entered the building. Armed with AK-47 rifles, the attackers moved through the six-storey hospital.
Reportedly, 15 nurses were on duty the night of the attack.
Protecting Patients Amid Chaos
As panic spread through the hospital, Kulthe immediately focused on keeping her patients safe.
She locked the main doors of the maternity ward and moved 20 pregnant women into a small pantry measuring roughly 10 by 10 feet.
To avoid drawing attention, lights were switched off, and mobile phones were kept silent. In complete darkness, the women and hospital staff waited as gunfire continued outside.
But the challenges were far from over.
A Baby Born During A Night Of Terror
Among the women sheltering inside the hospital was a high-risk patient suffering from hypertension. As the attack continued, she went into labour.
With the hospital under siege and gunfire still raging, doctors were unable to reach the ward.
Refusing to leave the patient unattended, Kulthe carefully escorted her to the labour room using a staircase, moving step by step while staying close to the wall for protection.
Despite the terrifying circumstances, the delivery was successful.
By morning, the woman had given birth to a baby girl. The child was later named "Goli" ('bullet' in Hindi), a reminder of the extraordinary night on which she was born.
Five Hours Under Attack
The attack on Cama Hospital lasted nearly five hours.
Two security guards and a hospital employee lost their lives during the assault. Yet throughout the ordeal, doctors, nurses and support staff continued working to protect patients and keep the hospital functioning.
For those who lived through it, the memories remain vivid even today.
Speaking about the trauma of that night, Kulthe said, "Not a single one of us who worked at the hospital - doctors, nurses or other staff -- will ever forget that night."
"The way they threw hand grenades, opened fire, killed people, none of us can ever forget it. For the whole country, it was a night of sadness and horror," she added.
Why The Story Moved Kangana Ranaut
Kangana, who plays a staff nurse in the film, said she was inspired by the dedication shown by medical professionals who continued serving others despite being in grave danger themselves.
"Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is an untold tale of heroism from the 26/11 attacks - amid bullets and chaos, nurses helped deliver 20 babies," Kangana told ANI.
Reflecting on the selflessness of healthcare workers, she said, "We see day by day. As I always say, if something happens to you, your family will abandon you. But, even during COVID, we saw that they left wearing a coat, whether they are doctors or not. They don't step back."
She further added, "Whether you are a patient of TB or any contagious disease. Has any hospital ever denied you? They can't. Has any doctor ever denied you treatment? Has any nurse ever denied you going to your room for treatment? No matter what disease you have, no matter how contagious it is, everyone is there for you. This is what I was most surprised about. We don't pay much attention to this. But, bullets are being fired outside. Bombs are being dropped. Those ladies delivered 20 deliveries. You know. They ran upstairs and downstairs. What kind of passion and dedication they had towards their duty towards humanity, that touched me the most."
The 26/11 attacks claimed 166 lives and left a scar on the nation.
The story of Anjali Kulthe and her colleagues is a reminder that heroism is not always found on the frontlines of combat. Sometimes, it is found in hospital wards, dark corridors, and labour rooms.
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