Perfect foil

Salman Shahid, one of Pakistan's most reputed actors matches John Abraham's popularity

When Aditya Chopra and Kabir Khan were looking for an actor to play the character of Imran Khan Afridi, they zeroed in on Pakistani actor Salman Shahid who won rave reviews for his performance in the Pakistani film Silent Waters.

"My role of a Taliban soldier is out of this world and I hope I have done justice to it," he says.

Shahid established a reputation in Pakistani theatre, not only for his acting, but also for his direction. He attended the VGIK Film Institute in Moscow and was later one of the founding members of two leading theatre groups in Pakistan, Ajoka and Rafi Peer Theatre.

He is also known for his TV serials with the successful Bano Ko Pehchano on Geo TV that was written, performed and directed by him. His production Tassadum saw its way to the Cairo International Festival of Experimental Theatre.

Shahid experiences Bollywood firsthand with Kabul Express. The character of a Taliban soldier who needs to escape the wrath of the Afghans and reach Pakistan, is packed with tension.

Kidnapping journalists and using them as a medium to get out of Afghanistan is not a 9 to 5 job.

Shahid credits Khan for executing the story brilliantly. "A lot of credit goes to Kabir, who despite the death threats, kept the atmosphere condusive to the making of the film," he says.