Javed Sheikh set to leave for India despite Shiv Sena threats

While Shiv Sena has made its stance against Pakistani working in India quite clear in the last few weeks, it’s fortunate that there are plenty of sane voices to counter the radical organization’s negative rhetoric. Bollywood bigwigs such as Naseeruddin Shah, Mahesh Bhatt, Gulzar and Shabana Azmi have been vocal in their support for the cross-border exchange of talent; and there are also actors in Pakistan who are not willing to let the opinion of one group overshadow the goodwill created between the two countries over the last couple of years.

Veteran actor Javed Sheikh revealed in an exclusive conversation with Instep that he’s set to leave for India within the next two days to start shooting for a new project, the details of which he was unwilling to share at this point in time. He did reiterate, however, that despite Shiv Sena’s recent threats, there was no danger of Bollywood giving up on Pakistani actors any time soon. “This current scenario will pass soon. It’s not possible that it will continue because the people of India support us,” he declared. “I’m travelling across the border because the government of India has issued me a visa and a work permit so I have nothing to be scared off. I signed on to this project earlier but shooting will begin now and the producers have not changed their plans despite what we have been hearing in the news.”

The actor, who has become adept at playing the ‘father figure’ to Bollywood’s A-list actors, will soon be seen in Tamasha in the role of Ranbir Kapoor’s father. “Why do you think the producers signed me on for the role? They didn’t have to, because there is no shortage of actors in India; it is because they wanted to. And they will continue to cast Pakistanis, I am very sure of that. Kaam chalta rahay ga; everybody is optimistic about the future,” he continued.

Mr. Sheikh went on to describe the positive reaction he has received from the Indian public whenever he is in the country for work. “I have travelled extensively, to Shimla, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and have received only love and respect. Zee Zindagi has people hooked to our dramas and has opened their eyes to how liberal and educated Pakistanis are. I remember a girl came up to me and started thanking me profusely during a plane ride in India. When I asked her why she was thanking me, she said it was because of the wonderful Pakistani dramas we had given them.”

“Another time I was staying at a local hotel where a wedding was taking place. When the host family saw me, I was surrounded by well-wishers. They wanted me to attend the function and it was an honour for them that I went. These anecdotes are meant to illustrate the point that the general public loves our people; it is only the media and political parties that sensationalize matters.”

– Mariam Mushtaq

prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Quantico gets into a legal hassle over unoriginal content

If remakes and spin-offs weren’t enough to slam American television’s lack of originality, here is another lawsuit that adds to the growing list of copied content. Priyanka Chopra’s big television debut, Quantico, has landed in a legal battle on claims that the plot of the series has in fact been copied off a 1999 documentary that aired on CNN.

According to Deadline.com, filmmakers Jamie Hellman and Barbara Leibovitz Hellman and business execPaula Paizes filed a35-page complaintThursday in Los Angeles Superior Court that saysseries producerMark Gordontook the show’s premise from Quantico: The Making of an FBI Agent.The news source further reports that Leibovitz and Hellman signed a deal with the Mark Gordon Company, the company currently producing the television series for ABC, and “provided MGC with the film from the documentary, information which was not included in the documentary, including all of their notes and transcripts related to the film”.

The suit adds about the series thatpremiered in September, “The plot forQuantico substantially resembles the plotlines created and moulded by Paizes”, alleging breach of contract, fiduciary duty and more. The Mark Gordon Company has been unavailable for a comment as of yet.

Quantico stars Bollywood diva Priyanka as Alex Parrish, an FBI recruit with a mysterious past, who finds herself at the centre of terrorist attack in New York. The show has been labeled as fall’s highest rated Sunday entertainment series.