The latest buzz in Bollywood is that director Suresh Kohli will produce and direct a movie on Saddam Hussein. Bollywood’s Actor and Filmmaker Akbar Khan will essay the role of Saddam Hussein. The film name is ‘From President to Prisoner’.
Suresh Kohli is based in Delhi and he makes short films and documentary. He wants his debut film to be featured in English and it will be a story based on human interest and it will trace the roots of Saddam as coming from humble origins to becoming the President of Iraq.
Kohli said about this film, “The film will also focus on his nationalistic aspects, the reforms he brought about in his country including education of women. He also strived for a united West Asia.”
He decided to make this movie only after reading Aziz Burney’s Safar Zindagi Ka which is a very good book based on Saddam’s life.
He further said, “It’s a real tear jerker. All the while, I was going by what the Western world had to say about Saddam.”
Script is being finalized by Kohli along with Burney.
Kohli revealed how he decided to cast Akbar Khan in the role of ‘Saddam Hussein. He went to meet with him for some other work but started discussing about this project. He said, “I kept Akbar Khan’s photo next to Saddam’s picture of his younger days and everyone agreed and said that he would be the best person for this role. Akbar agreed too. Now we are working the logistics to start and launch this film.”
Akbar Khan has directed the epic serials such as Akbar The Great, The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story.
They are planning to shoot this movie on real location of Iraq and want to release it by early next year.
Akbar Khan explained, “It’s a very challenging role. Saddam is a very controversial personality and the world opinion is divided into two parts. For half the world he was a hero and for the other half he was a villain. I am looking forward to playing this role.”
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