Posted:
14 years ago
I think he is missing a golden opportunity.
Imran Khan too busy to respond to Deepa Mehta's offer
http://mid-day.com/entertainment/2009/jun/040609-Imran-Khan-Deepa-Mehta-Salman-Salman-Rushdie-Midnights-Children-Adaptation.htm
Doesn't respond to Deepa Mehta's offer to play lead in Midnight's Children adaptation
PS: Is maamujaan's hidden hand at work here?
Both
Salman Rushdie and Deepa Mehta, who'll adapt the author's Midnight's
Children, feel Imran Khan would be the suitable choice to play the
protagonist Saleem in her film.
During one of her visits to Mumbai last year, Deepa tried to contact Imran. To her dismay, there was no response from his end.
We have options
The
director says, "Maybe he was busy or maybe he doesn't want to work with
me. Whatever the reason, we've a number of Indian and international
options for the part. Both Salman and I felt Imran was a natural choice
for the part, culturally and physically," says Deepa.
In disagreement
Deepa
has worked with Imran's uncle Aamir in 1947 Earth. And it wasn't
smooth-sailing for the director. Till date, Aamir and Deepa don't agree
on the way Aamir's character was interpreted in the film.
She
feels, "Healthy discussion and arguments are a fundamental part of the
creative process. Coincidentally, Aamir had also played a kind of
midnight's child in 1947, though his character wasn't born at the
stroke of midnight."
It isn't known why Imran responded with
discernible empathy to Deepa's efforts to contact him. But those who
know him feel it could be the young actor's inability to connect with
the historical background of the project.
Cast me, says Salman
Apparently,
when Rushdie agreed to let his buddy Deepa film the much sought-after
novel Midnight's Children the generous offer came with a pre-condition
She had to cast him as one of the characters. Rushdie has done cameos
in Bridget Jones' Diary and And Then She Found Me, saw himself in a
particular role in Midnight's Children.
Deepa admits, "Yes,
Salman did express a wish to play a certain character. And I happily
agreed to let him do it. So that was the first piece of casting that
fell into place."
Rushdie and Deepa have been close friends for years. They're co-scripting the movie adaptation of Midnight's Children.
