Mahesh Bhatt scoffs that runours that the pacer had ‘turned down’ his ofer to do his movie were all media fabrications ans that he was actually going to negotiate with Akhtar in Pakistan. Read on as Mahesh reveals his private conversations with the Rawalpindi Express ...
News was rife that Mahesh Bhatt had offered Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar a role in his next film. And then we heard that the cricketer had turned down the offer claiming that ‘cricket was his first love.’ And that his fans wanted to see him as a cricketer and not an actor. However, when we got in touch with Mahesh Bhatt himself, he expounded ... “News about Shoaib denying the role is all warped. It goes like this... We first had offered the role to Sanjay Dutt, who unfortunately couldn’t match dates on account of his court hearings in July for which he has to be physically present in court every single day. And that came as a major bolt from the blue and jeopardized our entire plan. Now, we filmmakers have a work schedule and a product supply line that we have to maintain. So, we then approached John Abraham, who on such short notice, justifiably, couldn’t accommodate us. So we were left wondering who else could do this role.
“My director was unhappy that he couldn’t get his teeth into the movie he was dying to make. We were looking for a guy who has the sexy animal quality and at the same time looks vulnerable. My director described him as ‘someone like Shoaib Akhtar’. That’s when Meera (the actress in ‘Nazar’) suggested that we ask Shoaib himself to do the role. Since she is known to him, she called him up and facilitated a conversation between him and us. She was the bridge.
“I spoke to Shoaib. He was a little apprehensive about whether he would be able to deliver the goods. Because acting requires another kind of courage. Films are a different ball game altogether. You have to be brave, vulnerable and in the hands of somebody else. You have to be able to be in control and give up control, both at the same time. And that would’ve been something new to him. However, we did not hide anything from him. The whole genesis of the project was explained to him, including the fact that the role was first offered to Sanjay Dutt.
“I am to go to Pakistan on 21st May to meet the prime Minister in Karachi. And we had decided that we would then meet up; and if the money, dates, and role - all fall in sync with each other, we would work together. We were not supposed to discuss this with anybody. Because we had decided that unless our needs matched we would not be going and proclaiming to the world that we are working with Shoaib Akhtar. But somehow the news got out from Pakistan.
“And before I know it, I am reading that he has turned down the film. I realize that there has been enormous pressure on him with the controversy regarding him and the Pakistan Cricket Board. He has been kept in the wings and is not playing because of his supposed ‘illness’. But the grapevine says that the PCB wants to teach him a lesson as he is brash and a little arrogant. So I did understand that he probably he did not want the Pakistani selection board to use this news against him.
“So I called him up yesterday and told him if you don’t like the role, say ‘No’ and I’ll understand, if you don’t agree with the money being offered to you, say ‘No’ and I’ll understand, if you can’t match the dates, it’ll be understandable. But if you are planning to not do the film before meeting us itself, it’ll be good if you tell us now so then we’ll not wait for that date and move on. But he said, “No, Mr. Bhatt I don’t know from where this news has got out.”
“So, I will be going to Pakistan and discussing the project with him. Shoaib hasn’t yet said no. And if everything falls into place, we’ll take it on from there.”
Now, will this be a new over for the Rawalpindi Express? Or will it be a ‘no-ball’? That’s the question.