Dubai: Controversial Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt will produce and present a play loosely based on the book ‘The Last Salute to President Bush’, written by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar Al Zaidi, notoriously known for throwing a shoe at then US President George W Bush in Baghdad in 2008. Called ‘The Last Salute’, the play will premiere in Delhi in March and then travel to Mumbai and Dubai, tabloid! can exclusively reveal.
The outspoken Bhatt, who has directed, written and produced a number of hugely successful Bollywood films, has chosen his new find Imran Zahid to play the role of Al Zaidi, who, organisers say, has already agreed to be a special guest in Delhi.
“He hold Mahatma Gandhi in high respect and follows his ideologies. So he wanted to also come to Rajghat [Gandhi’s memorial] and pay his tributes,” a spokesperson told Gulf News.
Al Zaidi’s book, released in December last year, is a journal chronicling the moments leading up to the infamous press conference at which he hurled his shoe at Bush, calling him a dog. He was arrested and convicted of assault, spent nine months in prison during which, he alleges, he was beaten and electrocuted for three days.
Actor Zahid will make his debut in Bhatt’s next production, Chandu, a film about Indian student leader and activist Chandrashekar Prasad who was shot dead in 2007. Eminent theatre director Arvind Gaur will direct the play.
Watch out for tabloid!’s exclusive interview with Mahesh Bhatt about ‘The Last Salute’.
