Mission Istaanbul(2008)
Mission Istaanbul is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Apoorva Lakhia. It stars Vivek Oberoi, Zayed Khan, and Shriya Saran in lead roles. The story follows a journalist who uncovers a terrorist network operating through a news channel in Istanbul. The film is inspired by the controversy surrounding Al Jazeera and its alleged links to terrorism. It received negative reviews from critics and was a commercial failure, grossing ₹9.34 crore worldwide. The film was released on 25 July 2008.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Hotstar, MX Player, Prime Video, Hungama Play, Netflix, Airtel Xstream Play, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 25 July 2008
- Director
- Apoorva Lakhia
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 15m
- Rating
- 3.5/10
Storyline
A fearless journalist named Vikas Sagar takes a job at a controversial news channel in Istanbul. He soon discovers the channel is a front for a terrorist network. With the help of a former commando, he must expose the truth before it is too late.
“The truth is on the 13th floor.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mission Istaanbul
Cast reunions in this film: Sunil Shetty & Abhishek Bachchan (7 films together), Sunil Shetty & Zayed Khan (4 films together), Vivek Oberoi & Abhishek Bachchan (3 films together), Sunil Shetty & Apoorva Lakhia (2 films together), Sunil Shetty & Vivek Oberoi (2 films together), and Apoorva Lakhia & Abhishek Bachchan (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title was originally 'Mission Istanbul' but was changed to 'Mission Istaanbul' to emphasize the Turkish setting.
- Director Apoorva Lakhia shot parts of the movie in Turkey, including Istanbul's famous landmarks like the Blue Mosque.
- Actor Shweta Bhardwaj, who played a supporting role, was also a former Miss India finalist in 2003.
- The film's plot involving a news channel was inspired by global concerns about media manipulation in conflict zones.
- It featured a special appearance by Nikitin Dheer as a terrorist, years before his notable role in 'Chennai Express'.
- The movie underperformed at the box office, failing to recover its reported budget of around 25 crore rupees.
- A behind-the-scenes fact: some action sequences used practical stunts instead of heavy CGI, which was less common for 2008 Bollywood.