3 min readDec 13, 2013 03:08 AM IST
Actor Om Puri,who has completed the shooting for Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom’s ‘100 Foot Journey’, has been approached by a British television channel to act in a TV series. While the details have yet to be finalised,Puri says,“I spoke to Hanif Kureishi and he told me that he is planning to write something for me.”
The actor in the meantime will be seen playing the role of Pakistan’s General Kayani in his next,a film based on the life of braveheart Malala Yousafzai,who was attacked by the Taliban.
Titled ‘Gul Makai’,the film will be directed by short film,documentary filmmaker Amjad Khan who had earlier made Le Gaya Saddam. The name of the film,says the director is inspired by Malala’s blog,which she operated under the psuedonym,gulmakai.
The film will be shot on several locations and the first schedule will begin on December 14 in Bhuj,followed by Balaghat in Jabalpur,Shimla,Kulu-Manali,Jaisalmer and Mumbai.
Khan,who has worked on the script for four years has roped in almost 400 actors from Film and Television Institute of India and National School of Drama,besides signing actors like Kabir Bedi,Kay Kay Menon,Mukesh Rishi,Victor Banerjee,Abhimanyu Singh Aarif Zakaria,Gulshan Grover among others who will be playing real life characters in the film.
For instance Kabir Bedi will play the role of Muslim Khan,the Taliban spokesperson,while Mukesh Rishi will play Faziullah,the dreaded Taliban officer who was also responsible for shooting Malala.
Fatima Sheikh,a Bangladeshi actor,will essay the role of Malala. Says Khan,“I want to depict the atrocities and the reign of terror that Taliban has unleashed in Pakistan. I have used real names of all Talibani officers,Pakistani diplomats and government officials. Victor Banerjee’s character in the film,called Asif Ali Zardari is based on the politician’s character.”
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Produced by Shreem Entertainment Private Limited,the makers are planning to launch the music on July 12,coinciding with Malala’s birthday.
The music is composed by Khan himself,who has roped in Javed Ali,Piyush Mishra,and Azmat Hussain who will sing a song on education. The director also plans to sign Shankar Mahadevan to render a song in the film.
