Film on brave heart Malala Yousafzai to be shot in Kutch

Bhuj, 16 December 2013

After witnessing enough Hindi film shootings in recent times, Gujarat’s Kutch district will now see shooting of a Hollywood film.

A movie ‘Gul Makai’ based on the life of the 15 year old student Malala Yousafzai will be filmed in Kutch starting from this month. The story will be filmed in Kutch’s Kanaiyabe, Dhamadka and Baniyari villages. As many as 900 persons are involved in making of the film.

The movie is being directed by short film, documentary filmmaker Amjad Khan who had earlier made Le Gaya Saddam. The name of the film, says the director is inspired by Malala’s blog, which she operated under the psuedonym, gulmakai.

Actor Om Puri will be seen playing the role of Pakistan’s General Kayani in this film on the life of braveheart Malala Yousafzai, who was attacked by the Taliban.

Khan, who has worked on the script for four years has roped in almost 400 actors from Film and Television Institute of India and National School of Drama, besides signing actors like Kabir Bedi, Kay Kay Menon, Mukesh Rishi, Victor Banerjee, Abhimanyu Singh Aarif Zakaria, Gulshan Grover among others who will be playing real life characters in the film.

For instance Kabir Bedi will play the role of Muslim Khan, the Taliban spokesperson, while Mukesh Rishi will play Faziullah, the dreaded Taliban officer who was also responsible for shooting Malala.

Fatima Sheikh, a Bangladeshi actor, will essay the role of Malala.

Says Khan, “I want to depict the atrocities and the reign of terror that Taliban has unleashed in Pakistan. I have used real names of all Talibani officers, Pakistani diplomats and government officials. Victor Banerjee’s character in the film, called Asif Ali Zardari is based on the politician’s character.”

Produced by Shreem Entertainment Private Limited, the makers are planning to launch the music on July 12, coinciding with Malala’s birthday.

The music is composed by Khan himself, who has roped in Javed Ali, Piyush Mishra, and Azmat Hussain who will sing a song on education. The director also plans to sign Shankar Mahadevan to render a song in the film.

Remember Kashmir era of Bollywood? It’s Kutch era now