The dark night of 26 November 2008 can never fade from any Indian's memory, when terror and death stalked the streets and buildings of Mumbai. The wounds of that terror attack still feel raw today. Whenever 26/11 is mentioned, it is usually images of the Taj Hotel or Nariman House that flash before the eyes. Yet amid that horrific tragedy, another battle was being fought inside Mumbai's Cama Hospital, a battle of unarmed people against gunmen, and above all, a battle to keep every life safe. Now actress Kangana Ranaut is bringing this untold and fearless saga to the big screen through her upcoming film 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhaata'. This is not some invented movie script, but the real story of a true heroine of Cama Hospital, nurse Anjali Kulthe, who stood firm in the shadow of death and set an example of duty that still fills everyone with courage.
When an Ordinary Shift Turned Into a Night of Doom
That evening of 26 November was no different from any other ordinary evening for Anjali Kulthe. She had arrived at 8 PM to take up her 12-hour night shift at the Cama and Albless Hospital. At that time, 20 pregnant women were admitted in her ward, and the responsibility for all of them rested on Anjali's shoulders. The silence of the night was suddenly torn apart by the rattle of gunfire. When Anjali looked out of the window, the ground seemed to slip from beneath her feet. Two heavily armed terrorists had already entered the hospital premises and had gunned down the watchman posted there. In the blink of an eye, that sanctuary of healing had become a battlefield. Screams and panic spread everywhere. In such a moment, Anjali had only two choices, either save herself and hide somewhere, or stand as a shield for her patients. She chose the second path. Without wasting a single moment, Anjali swiftly locked all the doors of the ward from inside and began hiding the frightened pregnant women in safe corners. Grenades were exploding outside, the walls were shaking, yet Anjali stood unmoved like a rock.
A Newborn's Cry Echoed in the Shadow of Death
Amid this terrifying atmosphere, Anjali faced a challenge that made her test even harder. One of the pregnant women admitted in the ward, who was already battling high blood pressure, suddenly went into severe labour pain. The situation was extremely delicate, and the slightest delay could have cost the lives of both mother and child. The problem was that for a safe delivery, they had to reach the labour room on the upper floor. Using the lift at that moment was like inviting death, and the corridor was raked with bullets. Anjali did not let fear overpower her. She held the helpless mother's hand to reassure her and, with great caution, began taking her up by the stairs. Death loomed at every step. Anjali says, 'At that moment, only one thought was running through my mind, that no harm should come to this mother and child.' At last they reached the labour room, and with the doctors' help a healthy baby was born. Immediately afterwards, instead of resting, Anjali went back downstairs and by morning had saved all 20 women under her care, safe and sound.
The Lesson of Duty in the Uniform, Inherited From Her Father
When Anjali was later asked why she felt no fear on that horrifying night, her answer was that the moment she puts on her nursing uniform, a different kind of strength fills her up. She said, 'It was the power of my uniform that gave me the courage to think of my patients before myself. I did not want to die without helping people.' This unshakeable devotion to duty came to Anjali as an inheritance. She regards her father as her greatest inspiration. In the year 1979, when a fierce fire broke out at Santa Cruz airport, everyone was running to save their lives, but Anjali's father stayed put on duty in the control tower because two aircraft were about to land. He guided those planes to a safe landing and only then stepped out himself. That very spirit of her father ran through Anjali's veins.
When She Stood Eye to Eye With Kasab
Only a few weeks had passed since that horrifying night at the hospital when Anjali had to make another big decision for the country. The police asked her to identify Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive. Anjali's family was deeply frightened. The whole country was shaken by Kasab's cruelty, and so the family tried to stop her from going to court, but Anjali told her parents, 'Someone or the other has to step forward for the country.' Anjali stood right in front of Kasab in the courtroom and, without any hesitation, pointed her finger at him and said that he was the killer. At this, Kasab laughed shamelessly and said, 'Madam, you have identified me absolutely correctly.' Anjali was stunned to see Kasab's remorseless face and his young age, but her boldness played a huge role in getting Kasab punished. For this fearless bravery, Anjali was later honoured with a gallantry medal.
The Wounds That Never Heal
Nearly two decades have now passed since this incident, yet that terrifying night is still alive in Anjali's mind. She says that even today, when the sound of firecrackers suddenly bursts somewhere, she shudders and for a few moments is transported back to that same night of 26/11. That attack left Mumbai with very deep wounds, in which 166 innocent people lost their lives, but films like 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhaata' remind us that even in that thick darkness, lamps of humanity like Anjali Kulthe were burning, who put their own lives on the line to keep humanity alive. Courage does not mean that you feel no fear at all; real courage is that, instead of bowing down before fear, you choose the lives of others. Anjali's story will forever be inscribed in golden letters in the country's history.
