Bush shoe-thrower may get Delhi invite to watch himself on stage

And if plans work out,al-Zaidi will be in India for the first performance.

“There was this guy who had the courage to vent his rage at the president,something that was also building up among the people of Iraq. Bush’s policies could not find (approval) even with a journalist who was covering the Iraq war comprehensively,” says Bhatt,who was actively involved in campaigns against Bush’s foreign policies.

According to Bhatt,he had refused a 2003-invitation to be part of a prayer breakfast at Capitol Hill,before the start of the Iraq war. “I could not break bread with someone whose policies were leading to the death of many innocent civilians.”

To bring this play to life,Bhatt approached playwright and leader of Delhi-based Asmita theatre group,Arvind Gaur. The script will be based loosely on al-Zaidi’s book,The Last Salute to President Bush.

Essaying the lead character will be Delhi-based theatre actor Imran Zahid (30),who has also bagged the protagonist’s role in Bhatt’s next feature film,Chandu.

Al-Zaidi’s consent has also been sought for this play. After retiring from his job as a TV journalist with an Iraqi news channel,he has been working with a Lebanese news channel. “I am happy to know that a play is being staged on this issue. It’s a good thing that the people of India will be made aware of this concern,” says al-Zaidi via an e-mail response from Lebanon.

The focus of the play will be the political environment in Iraq after the beginning of the Iraq conflict. A crucial part of the play will deal with the shoe throwing incident followed by the arrest,torture and humiliation faced by al-Zaidi at the hands of the security forces. The play will also focus on other aspects of al-Zaidi’s life: stories from his Iraq war coverage,his kidnapping on two occasions by militants,his court cases and how his life transformed following the shoe incident.

Rehearsals for the play started last week in Delhi. “We are rehearsing certain key episodes from his life and editing it as we go along. Once we get the book,we will have an idea of his reactions to certain episodes. The rehearsals will continue till February-end. Till then we will have a solid script,” says Gaur.

The play is likely to open in Delhi in the third week of April.

So far,al-Zaidi has not been approached for any inputs for the script,but he says,“will be glad to help”.

“I do not want my life to be highlighted in the play,the problems of Iraq are more important than my personality,” adds al-Zaidi.

Bhatt also plans to stage the play in Mumbai and Dubai.