Kareena's Message:

7000 miles away and very, very angry.

On Wednesday, 26th November, when the terrorists attacked Mumbai, I was getting ready to start my day 7000 miles away in Philadelphia. I got a call from my sister saying there are bomb blasts in Mumbai.

It was an eerie feeling. Seven years ago, we were in India following the news coverage of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York.

Today, I was in the US, following the news coverage of the 26/11 attack on India's financial capital. CNN was carrying live coverage of the attacks.

In the days that have followed the 26th of November, I have felt a surge of mixed emotions. Sadness at the loss of lives and property.

Admiration for our police, armed forces and firemen, who did their best and fought bravely despite the limited means at their disposal.

Disgust with the so-called political leaders who provide no leadership and ironically surround themselves with so many security guards while doing little or nothing for the security of the people who have voted them to power.

And anger at the cowards who kill in the name of religion, and anger at the cowards who support them without owning up.

I am writing this after seeing pictures of the citizens' rally at the Gateway of India and I am filled with pride. It was wonderful to see so many of us speaking in one voice for our city, our country. I am writing this piece as this is the only way I can reach out to our people from so far away.

I want to applaud the media for being pro active... and for being the force that is trying to unite the nation. We must genuinely unite if real change is to come... there are too many divisions...political and religious in our minds. If we are to be secure and strong we need to fight terror together... without any negotiation.

Saif and I both would like to offer our deepest condolences to all the bereaved families...you are in our thoughts and will stay in our minds...I love my city very much...Mumbai is my home, our home... and is the city that has given us all so much. I pray that we can build a better tomorrow on the rubble of our today.

With all my love,

Kareena Kapoor

Saif's Message:

To my city...

Mumbaikars are resilient!! The spirit of Mumbai! Back on its feet...I am sick and tired of hearing about the spirit of the resilient Mumbaikars...what bloody choice to we have?? I really hope we don't forget this...

The government has failed us again. The B.J.P. are advertising for your votes while the bodies of the dead are not yet cremated....Mr. Modi has offered a crore to the widow of Mr. Hemant Karkare... everyone as usual gaining their own mileage from a deplorable situation...the Taj in flames...60 people shot dead at the C.S.T. 9/ 11 was not so close to us...terror has come home.

Who will protect us from this happening again? Is getting shot in the coffee shop of a 5 star hotel or getting killed in an explosion another legitimate way to die... like getting run over or dying of some disease?

In our parents' time Beirut was called the Paris of the East...will Mumbai succumb to a similar fate?

As an Indian and a Muslim, I feel like expressing my condemnation and outright disgust at any party killing innocent people in the name of God, Allah...or whatever we choose to call him... I am so worried that the whole religion will be judged and condemned.

There are strong communal feelings running through all stratas of our society... and I find it hard to defend the fact that there seems to be a Muslim hand behind every detonator...Indians must unite as Indians and not split under any circumstances on any line.

I too want revenge for what has happened. I know the whole city is baying for Pakistani blood... We want to bring back draconian laws like Pota, while I might agree with this...

I feel we should all remember that 500, 000 Indians are in jail under this law...without a trial... our judicial system is so slow anyway...is it humane to go in this direction without fully understanding the situation...I feel a little scared as a Muslim...

I want to urge us to fight the right enemy...this is beyond religion India v/s Pakistan. I do feel that to fight Pakistan or to go to war is to play into the hands of the terrorists... This is what they want.

We need to unite as a region against this common enemy. Pakistan is fighting the Al Qaida on the Afghanistan border...the U.S. has pledged support...the Marriott Hotel was destroyed and Mrs. Bhutto was killed...we have the same enemy.

I applaud Condoleezza Rice for flying to India and saying that non-state actors sometimes act in the confines of a state and there has to be strong action against them and it is still a matter of Islamabad's responsibility and Pakistan has to act against them.

I would like to thank the NSG and the Mumbai police who handled the situation so well with so little on their side in terms of equipment and support....

Our government agencies like R.A.W have failed us yet again...since1970 there has been more politicizing of these agencies leading to their inefficiency.

Let's get it right this time...lets vote for the government that we believe in and then stand by them...let us unite on this issue as Indians.

Shooting cold wintry nights in Philadelphia, in the United States...already miserable with the weather and the hours...making a film on terrorism of all things...both Kareena and I were exposed to the news that has shaken the foundations of our city and destroyed our already shaky belief in our government's ability to protect us. We feel so terribly sad and depressed for our city... our thoughts and prayers are with you Mumbai.

Saif Ali Khan Pataudi