The recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India would have provoked some reaction from the nation's booming film industry no matter what; they represented some of the most deadly assaults in the nation's modern history, and their sheer level of audaciousness and aggression make them remarkable even by post-9/11 standards.  But the attacks have particularly hit home in the entertainment industry thanks to Mumbai's status as the commercial capital of India -- where a great deal of funding for Bollywood films originates -- as well as the location of the terror attacks (the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel, which was the scene of the biggest hostage standoff and which was severely damaged in the attacks, is a frequent filming location for big-budget epics as well as a favorite destination for visiting stars).

With the entertainment industry in India reeling, almost everyone has something to say.  As police continue to track down every lead they can, and Indian Muslims brace for a backlash they fear is inevitable, many in Bollywood are taking the step -- astonishing in the hard-working, non-stop, budget-conscious field -- of suspending production.  The entertainment site Bollywood Hungama reports a shocked and angry mood, with no one particularly eager to return to work.  Very little production was done over the weekend, with only one shooting scene being finished and actors and producers wondering whether to stop filming out of respect or continue their work in hopes it will help the city recover.  Actor/producer Suneil Shetty (best known in the west for The Border) reports "The city is in a state of shock.  I'm getting to know gradually that I've lost friends in the attack whom I've known for years.  My family and I live quite close to the Taj...we saw smoke and fire billowing out of these places where we've spent so many evenings."  Several Bollywood stars will spend the next few days attending funerals of friends and relatives of friends.

New York-based producer Mira Nair, whose Salaam Bombay is perhaps the most memorable cinematic portrait of Mumbai, was reached in the U.S., and said "I've no words at the moment.  I pray for equanimity to prevail and that we don't give in to hysteria."  Naseeruddin Shah, one of the best-known Bollywood actors in the United States thanks to appearances in Monsoon Wedding and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, reflected the prevailing attitude, saying "What's the point in spouting clichés? Let's leave that to the politicians. My reaction of outrage and helplessness is no different from that of any sane person."

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