It has been 13 years since the financial capital, Mumbai witnessed the most horrific terrorist attack in the city’s history. While we saw several personalities from all the fields paying tribute and expressing their grief to the martyrs and common people, who lost their lives during the attacks, actress-turned-chef Amrita Raichand shared her traumatic experience of that night when she went to Taj to celebrate her birthday along with her family members.
Recalling the incident, Amrita Raichand told Humans of Bombay that on November 26, 2008, she was sceptical to leave her one-year-old son at home and celebrate her birthday at Taj, she was convinced by her family members and the actress went for dinner along with her husband. Sharing the detail about that horrific night, Amrita revealed that post 9:00 pm she heard a sound like fireworks but didn’t realise it was an attack till she heard the sound for the second time after 15 minutes and noticed that it was of gunshots.
Through her window, she saw a disturbing sight of bodies getting rolled out followed by a deafening sound which shocked the entire Taj building. In the chaos, Amrita “heard screams, people being dragged & gunshots.” The actress added that her mind went back to her son at home and she asked his husband that what will happen to their kid if they won’t make it. She revealed that they even tried to break the window but their efforts went in vain. In the next morning, when the actress and others were losing hope, they heard a fire brigade bell and gave them a signal by flickering the light.
The fire brigade broke the window and saved them. When Amrita reached home, she held her son ‘in the tightest embrace’ but revealed that the trauma of that night stayed with her. On every 26/11 the actress says a prayer for all those people, who lost their lives during the attack and in the evening she heads to ‘Taj to celebrate those who fought & triumphed their terror!’
Amrita Raichand had made her Bollywood debut with Humko Ishq Ne Mara, which released in 1997. The film starred Ashish Chaudhary in the lead, was directed by Arjun Sablok. It was produced by Yash Chopra. Post that she featured in films like Baat Bann Gayi and Kaanchi. Amrita is also known as the host of Mummy Ka Magic which airs on the TV channel Food Food.
