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Nana plays Shahabuddin
Patekar is playing the dreaded RJD MP from Siwan in Bihar - Mohammed Shahabuddin in his forthcoming film Apaharan. Shahabuddin who is wanted in over 30 cases of murder and extortion, is currently in police custody. In fact, Apaharan replicates many critical incidents from Shahabuddin's life including the incident where he manhandled a senior cop when intercepted.
Director Prakash Jha doesn't deny the similarities between Patekar and Shahabuddin. "But it's a sensitive minor issue. And I wouldn't like to harp on it," he says. Gangaajal, Jha's last film which was an exposition on Bihar politics, where the villain was named after Laloo Yadav's brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav, landed him in trouble in his home state. RJD goons had prevented the film's release in Patna then.
Much water has flown under the bridge since. Apaharan comes at a time when Bihar is ready and willing to look at the future with optimism. The change in government with Nitish Kumar as chief minister, and many of the real-life villains portrayed in Apaharan out of power, could only mean a peaceful release for Jha's film. Apaharan isn't the first film to replicate a controversial real-life politician in cinema. A few months ago Amitabh Bachchan played Shiv Sen supremo Bal Thackeray in Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar.
In the case of Sarkar, Thackeray was extremely pleased with the way he was portrayed. It now remains to be seen how Shahabuddin will react to Patekar portraying him on celluloid.
Patekar is playing the dreaded RJD MP from Siwan in Bihar - Mohammed Shahabuddin in his forthcoming film Apaharan. Shahabuddin who is wanted in over 30 cases of murder and extortion, is currently in police custody. In fact, Apaharan replicates many critical incidents from Shahabuddin's life including the incident where he manhandled a senior cop when intercepted.
Director Prakash Jha doesn't deny the similarities between Patekar and Shahabuddin. "But it's a sensitive minor issue. And I wouldn't like to harp on it," he says. Gangaajal, Jha's last film which was an exposition on Bihar politics, where the villain was named after Laloo Yadav's brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav, landed him in trouble in his home state. RJD goons had prevented the film's release in Patna then.
Much water has flown under the bridge since. Apaharan comes at a time when Bihar is ready and willing to look at the future with optimism. The change in government with Nitish Kumar as chief minister, and many of the real-life villains portrayed in Apaharan out of power, could only mean a peaceful release for Jha's film. Apaharan isn't the first film to replicate a controversial real-life politician in cinema. A few months ago Amitabh Bachchan played Shiv Sen supremo Bal Thackeray in Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar.
In the case of Sarkar, Thackeray was extremely pleased with the way he was portrayed. It now remains to be seen how Shahabuddin will react to Patekar portraying him on celluloid.
Anupamaa
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