– MUMBAI
ctor-producer Saif Ali
Khan on Aug. 11 said
it won’t be surprising
if his forthcoming
film “Phantom”,
which touches upon Mumbai’s
26/11 attacks, is banned in
Pakistan.
His comment comes in
reaction to 26/11 mastermind
and Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD)
chief Hafiz Muhammad
Saeed’s petition in a Lahore
court, demanding a ban on
the release of filmmaker Kabir
Khan’s political thriller in
Pakistan.
The “Phantom” team
organised a press conference
here on Aug. 11 to address the
issue. “As far as Pakistan is
concerned, I always thought
that this film will be banned in
Pakistan as there are certain
topics which Pakistan bans
without watching the film or
without any review,” Saif,
whose 2012 film “Agent Vinod”
was banned in the country
too, said at a press conference
here on Tuesday.
“We too have made films
which have been passed in
Pakistan. But those kinds of
films are different. When there
are films like this (Phantom),
which have a realistic base, it’s
no surprise for me if this film
is banned in Pakistan,” the 44-
year-old added.
“Phantom”, which is slated
to release on August 28, is
based on author Hussain
Zaidi’s book “Mumbai
Avengers” having the post
26/11 attacks in Mumbai and
global terrorism in its back-
ground.
Kabir, whose 2012 film “Ek
Tha Tiger”, also on terrorism,
was banned in Pakistan, but
whose “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” has
been lauded across the border,
said: “Whenever there is a
political backdrop in a film,
there are chances that the film
won’t be screened there. That’s
the kind of relationship that
we (India and Pakistan) share,
as whenever we venture into a
political backdrop, problems
are created.
“But the issue today is not
that, since they haven’t even
seen the film. The issue today
is that we’re really amused that
a wanted terrorist has gone
and filed a petition that we’re
spreading poison.”
Kabir’s other directorial, the
Salman starrer “Bajrangi
Bhaijaan”, also faced issues
over its release in Pakistan.
However, it managed to
receive a largely positive
response.
“Bangistan” and “Baby” are
some other films who were not
allowed to be screened in
Pakistan earlier this year.
“Phantom” writer Hussain
Zaidi said: “This man (Saeed)
is a wanted terrorist by US,
UK, Australia and India. There
are various issues going
against Hafiz Saeed. He has
not seen the movie, maybe he
has seen the trailer, and still he
wants to make issues repre-
senting Pakistan.”
Apart from Saif, “Phantom”
also stars Katrina Kaif,
Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.
– IANS
News India Times
August 21, 2015
28
– that’s all you need to know
Arts & Entertainment
No Surprise If ‘Phantom’ Gets
Banned In Pakistan: Saif Ali Khan
A
– MUMBAI
A
ctress Kangana Ranaut, who
is awaiting the release of
“Katti Batti”, says she is glad
that superstar Salman Khan sug-
gested her name for the film.
Kangana, along with her “Katti
Batti” co-star Imran Khan, was
present at a radio station here on
Wednesday to promote their film.
On being asked how Salman
convinced her to play the role of
Payal in “Katti Batti”, Kangana said:
“He (Salman) didn’t have to con-
vince me... but he called me to tell
me about the script of ‘Katti Batti’.
“I’m glad that he did that
because after ‘Queen’, I was flood-
ed with offers for women-centric
films, and I was giving them priori-
ty as well. I don’t think I would
have given it a thought.”
She said that since Salman is
her friend and she trusts him,
“when he asked me to hear the
script, I agreed. And after hearing
the script in one second I said
‘yes’.”
In the film “Katti Batti”, Kangana
will portray the character of a fun-
loving, bold and open minded girl,
but she insisted that her character
Payal is different fromTanuja
which she played in her last
release “TanuWeds Manu
Returns”.
“Nobody is like Tanuja Trivedi in
this whole world. Payal’s is a differ-
ent character, her life is not that
exciting as Tanuja’s. But yes, she is
one of those people who I identify
with.
“She looks very strong and bold
from outside but from inside she is
very soft and emotional. Payal is a
very cute character but completely
misunderstood,” Kangana said.
Directed by Nikhil Advani, “Katti
Batti” is set to release September
18.
– IANS
Glad Salman
Suggested My
Name For
‘Katti Batti’,
Says Kangana
Finding Beauty
Amid Ugliness:
Miss Teen USA
Contestant
Continued from page 26
“But they’ll all be watch-
ing online,” she adds.
Priya still visits her father
but she has not seen her
mother since the court case
ruling which separated
them. Her grandmother’s
chicken curry is still her
favorite dish, and suji
halwa “with raisins” is her
favorite dessert. “My grand-
mother taught me how to
make it.” But daal and
bananas are her least
favorite. You can hear her
wrinkle her nose. “When I
was little, I feel like that
was all I ate.” Priya grew up
speaking Hindi, eating
Indian food, and going to
temples.
This Summer she went
on a school trip India. “This
was my first time in India
this April. It was incredible
and it really felt like home,”
she exclaimed. “I’ve been
out of the Indian environ-
ment for a few years, so it
was wonderful to be in
India and eating my
favorite foods,” she said. “I
can’t wait to go back.”
Bollywoodbeckons?
She loves Bollywood
dancing, something she
went to classes for since
childhood. She hasn’t
watched Bollywood movies
in a few years but
Aishwarya Rai is her
favorite actress. She doesn’t
know who her favorite male
Bollywood actor is, but
Johnny Depp is her heart-
throb from Hollywood.
“If I could have a profes-
sion as a Bollywood dancer,
I would,” she laughs half
serious. Her dress for the
evening gown segment of
the pageant tailored by
Seattle-based designers
Third & Loom, “does have a
sort of Indian design,” is all
she could reveal about it.
She is spending her time
catching up on world
events and building her
confidence for the on-stage
question which could b on
“anything,” she says.
While all the contestants
are “incredible,” the confi-
dent Indian-American
believes what sets her apart
is being pushed into an
adult role from a young
age. “I am very independ-
ent and in charge of my
life – just because I had to
be,” she declares.
