Do you remember any TV or web series in India that talks about the lives of doctors? Sanjeevani may be there but she was very old. So when Nikkhil Advani announced Mumbai Dairies 26/11, a show about the terrorist attacks of 26/11 from the point of view of doctors was really exciting. The show aims to explore the personal and professional lives of doctors, their fears, their vulnerability and their work ethic. When there was an emergency like 26/11, then fear, tension was at its peak. There was chaos everywhere. This situation sets the stage for the play, which seems too ambitious.

It begins very well with an exploration of the characters of the doctors, nurses and other staff of Bombay General Hospital. They also show the condition of the government hospital very well. In many cases, they even draw comparisons with private hospitals and the work culture there. The depiction of a government hospital and its management looks very real. With the OTT release, the makers have shown blood, cutting and stitches without worrying about the censors. Which is proving to be a plus for the series. It would have been nice if we took these things a little further. But it is good for Indian standards.

Every character introduced in the hospital has some disturbing past stories. Which is eventually discovered through the series. After a good introduction to the characters and situations, the series falls flat. Over-the-top drama does more damage to the series. After a few episodes, it turns into an action thriller. Where many scenes continuously test your logical thinking. The world seems too small in this series. Because most of the characters are somehow related to the attacks in different places. After some time each of the interrelated characters and their positions seems artificial. They even showed a scene to a Pakistani handler from Islamabad instructing the terrorist. They may have missed the opportunity to show the CIA giving information to the Indian agencies. It would have been better if they had stayed in the hospital. But no, they want to show you everything from Pakistan to Delhi. So the purpose of the series was somehow lost in the middle. 

The saving point is performance. The actors deliver the series with their solid performances. No matter what the circumstances, the actors never give up their grip. Mohit Rana, Konkona Sen, Prakash Belwadi, Shreya Dhanwantri, Natasha Bhardwaj, Satyajit Dubey, Murmui Deshpande and Balaji Gauri shine throughout the series.

Overall it is a satisfying drama. Which starts well and ends well. But in-between it fails. It has thrills, some well-choreographed action scenes but that didn’t help it.  The concept of showing 26/11 from the doctor’s perspective is an interesting idea. But unfortunately, it turns out to be an average old drama with huge potential. You could watch it for good performances, but don’t keep any high expectations.