Remembering a Rebel

Zahid,30,was a first year student at DU when Prasad died. Today,he is director of a journalism school called Take One in East of Kailash in South Delhi. In his wood-panelled office,clad in blue jeans and black T-shirt,Zahid looks nothing like the intense,bearded student leader. And he’s aware he’s just landed a role that’s bigger than him. “I’m working on internalising Chandrasekhar’s life so that I can understand the man I am playing. Getting the physical attributes right will come later,”he says.

He’s been meeting friends and acquaintances of Prasad — “It is surprising how emotionally linked people are still with Prasad” — and repeatedly watching news clips on Prasad and a documentary made on his life called Ek Minute ka Maun. “I’ve been acting ever since I can remember,from mono-acting in school to nukkad natak in college. A few years ago,I worked with Asmita theatre group of direcor Arvind Gaur. But this is my first film,” says the six footer who first met Bhatt during an event in Dubai three years ago.

Though he is yet to get a script,Zahid traces a few points of similarity between himself and Prasad. “We’re both from Bihar and moved to big city Delhi to study. But,unlike me,Prasad had a definite vision,he had quit the National Defence Academy to join JNU and work in student politics,” he says. Though Zahid isn’t leftist like Prasad,he is beginning to feel the activist’s anger about issues like the privatisation of colleges.

“Integrity will be the lifeblood of the project,so Imran has to build the character from a scratch,” says Bhatt. Though the finances are almost sorted out,the filmmaker is looking for a suitable director and says that shooting will start around October. “I am setting up a cell to carry out research on Prasad’s life and times,” he adds.