After claiming spotlight for his special appearance as Anushka Sharma’s love interest in 2016’s blockbuster Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, popular Pakistani actor Imran Abbas might just become part of another Hindi feature. Provided, of course, India removes the ban on Pakistani artists.
If sources are to be believed, a Mumbai-based, indie filmmaker Abhinav Shiv Tiwari has reached out to Abbas for the lead role in his next. Tiwari is best known for X: Past Is Present (2015), a film that was a unique collaboration of eleven directors.
It is hard to say whether Abbas would be interested in a low-profile, small-budget project. Self-confessedly choosy, the 37-year-old earlier declined Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic saga Guzaarish (2010) only because he had been offered an insignificant part (later played by Aditya Roy Kapur). He opted to debut in Bollywood as Bipasha Basu’s leading man, with Creature 3D (2014).
Later, he appeared in Muzaffar Ali’s period film, Anjuman. Back home, he enjoys a heartthrob status, and has consistently played the romantic hero in major TV productions like Umrao Jaan Ada, Noor Mahal, Khuda Aur Mohabbat, and the latest Koi Chand Rakh Meri Shaam Par. He was recently nominated among the World’s 100 Most Handsome Men by tccandler.
He has said on record that he made an exception for Ae Dil… because it was a Dharma Productions film that was helmed by Karan Johar, “my favourite director!”
It would be interesting to see if the Tiwari film appeals to him in any way.
