Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 25, 2018)

Bollywood's brightest often state that they turn to personal experiences for inspiration, to breathe life into their characters. For Prateik Babbar, recounting memories from his troubled past — that admittedly involved an addiction to drugs — helped him play the antagonist in Mulk.

“I hung around with the wrong people and did all the wrong things that I could possibly do. I took inspiration from that phase of my life to play this character,” the actor tells mid-day of his role of a terrorist in the Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu starrer.

Having explored a grey character in Baaghi 2 earlier, the actor says essaying the part of a fanatic was on his wish list for the challenges it entails. “I was always interested in exploring the character of a terrorist. I researched on [American terrorist] David Headley by watching videos made on him, and also read the book The Mind of A Terrorist: The Strange Case of David Headley. I also watched a lot of movies and shows, including including the British drama, The State.”

Following a low-key engagement to filmmaker Sanya Sagar in January, the actor intends to tie the knot next year. “Right now, we are busy with our respective careers. We might settle down next year. She has brought a lot of stability in my life and I am thankful for that.”

BOMBAY TIMES (August 24, 2015)

Two characters have been named after David Headley and Sajid Mir and two others modelled on Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 22, 2015)



Sajid Nadiadwala's upcoming action thriller, Phantom, revolves around global terrorism and has been shot in Lebanon, Syria, the UK, Canada and India. Back home, they filmed in Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab's Malerkotla. Last September, the espionage drama featuring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif wrapped up in Mumbai. The film is an adaptation of S. Hussain Zaidi's recent novel (with Gabriel Khan), Mumbai Avengers.

The attacks began on the Black Wednesday of November 26, 2008, and continued for the next four days. Ten members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic militant organisation in Pakistan, carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai, killing 164 and wounding at least 308. Only one of the 10 attackers, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive and hanged on November 21, 2012. But many of the masterminds got away.

In Hussain's novel, five years after the attacks, a retired army officer spearheads a covert mission with a team of daredevil agents to seek out and kill these terror masterminds, one by one, making sure that the assassinations look like natural deaths. The best-selling author has collaborated on the screenplay and Mirror has learnt that some of the terror suspects have found their way into the fictional plot. These include David Headley and Sajid Mir. "Yes, there are characters named after both these men," says a source.

Headley, the Pakistani-American LeT terrorist, is currently serving a 35-year-sentence but Sajid Mir, who allegedly was Headley's handler, has vanished. According to intelligence provided by the Mossad, he is holed up in Muridke near Lahore.

The mastermind of the 26/11 attacks, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, is also supposed to be living in a safe house near Lahore.

"He is one of the four main villains in the film, but his name has been changed to Sabauddin Umvi. One of the other bad guys is modelled after Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba which carried out the audacious attacks. However, to ensure that the content doesn't get too explosive and there are no diplomatic issues with Pakistan, the makers have prudently decided to change his name to Harif Saeed," informs the source. "But viewers will be left in little doubt about who these two characters are inspired by."

The United Nations in December 2008 declared the Jamaat-ud-Dawa a terrorist organisation, and branded its chief Hafiz Saeed a terrorist. But Saeed, who carries a bounty of $10 million on his head, allegedly roams around freely in Pakistan, making inflammatory statements against India.

We sent a text to Sajid Nadiadwala but he chose not to respond.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 27, 2014)

Not so long ago, Rahul Bhatt had gone on record to say: “Mahesh Bhatt never treated me like his own child. It's the raw uncut truth about my relationship with my father. I was vulnerable. I had no father to guide me in my growing years.”

But the two seem to have put the frayed relationship behind and made a new beginning as Mahesh Bhatt is ready to launch his son in a co-production with daughter Pooja. The director has not yet been finalised but sources close to Rahul reveal that Pooja herself might wield the megaphone.

The film, titled Bad, will go on floors next year and Mahesh Bhatt says, “I am not in the business of launching my kith and kin in movies. But suddenly, everything fell into place and I found a script which fits Rahul like a glove.”

Insisting that “everything is fine between me and dad now”, Rahul says, “The past is history and the future is a mystery, the present is all that matters. Whatever I had to say, I wrote rather articulately in my book Headley & I. Now let’s let bygones be bygones.”

Mirror has it that Rahul’s character will have grey shades. The 32-year-old actor is unperturbed about debuting with a dark role and says, “I play a rather twisted character, those traits are in me too and hence I guess I won’t have to try too hard.”

Other than being bad, how is Rahul preparing for the debut? The fitness trainer already has a buff body and says that he has no plans to lose the muscle. “I have a big built, that’s how real men are. I plan to continue being a gym instructor as that is my passion and I do it for a price,” he asserts.

Rahul earlier made headlines for his alleged association with 26/11 Attacks accused David Headley and in 2002 he was arrested for allegedly assaulting Pooja’s then partner Ranvir Shorey. Then, came the tell-all book. A Bollywood career would require him to remain controversy free. How does he plan to do that?

“Was it wrong to stand up for my sister when someone beat her up? Have I got drunk and banged my car into a bakery? Have I gone hunting? Look, I am not insinuating anything. I just air my opinions and I shall never lead my life to please other people,” he rages.

Parting shot. What does he think of stepsister Alia Bhatt’s acting career? Pat comes the reply, “Exceptional! She has come up with an awesome performance in Highway. She is the Meryl Streep of India.”