MID-DAY (May 12, 2016)

Emraan Hashmi-starrer Azhar chronicles the life of former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin with focus on the controversial aspects, including his implication in the match fixing scandal in 2000. Needless to say, the cricketer is being cautious about the way he has been portrayed in the film.

When the cricketer watched his biopic recently, he broke down during a particular sequence which showcased the stressful phase of his life and career after he was accused of playing a big role in match fixing. Azharuddin had to go through a gruelling CBI interrogation back then. So, when that was being replayed on screen, he got emotional and requested the makers to delete the entire scene.

Says a source, “The scene was too upsetting for him to handle and asked for it to be removed from the film. The makers agreed to his demand. Now, the reference to the CBI enquiry has been added in the dialogues that Lara Dutta’s character mouths.”

Azhar director Tony D’Souza says, “I do not have the liberty to discuss what parts the film have been touched upon. All I can say is I am overwhelmed by the reactions and intrigue around it.”