Rajan lost 10 kilos to look like Kasab

Actor Rajan Varma’s playing the man who, for a year, has been the focus of a country’s hatred...

Did you ever get discouraged after facing consistent criticism for playing Ajmal Kasab in the movie, Total Ten – Ashok Chakra?
I was selected after a gruelling audition, but when I saw the initial pics, I refused to act in the movie. However, the director showed me the script later and told me about the core messages in the movie. That’s when I was convinced to be a part of it. The film highlights the real meaning of the sacrifice made by our national heroes, lest the country forget. It also explains what jihad really means, shows Kasab’s ongoing mental agony and uses it to discourage youngsters from becoming fidayeens. Look at him, he prays for death everyday.

How did you prepare for the role?
I lost 10 kilos to look like Kasab, and also underwent basic combat training. I had to practice a bit of Punjabi as well, as the dialogues are mainly in Punjabi and Urdu. I also observed Kasab and the way he spoke.

Were you threatened during the film’s production?
Yes. In February, some people attacked my car and threatened me. I lodged an FIR and was given two constables for protection as well. But the attacks never deterred me.

Originally, the movie was supposed to end with Kasab’s hanging, but it was heard that the climax has been changed. True?
We have reshot the climax because there was an outcry against it. I can’t reveal much about it, all I can say is that the movie will only show what people want.

‘I want people to abuse my character’
So says Aroon Bakshi, who plays Pakistani mujahideen leader Maulana Masood Azhar in the film. “I will be extremely happy if people abuse my character. That way, my efforts in portraying the role earnestly will be applauded. I am playing one of the most hated terrorists in the flick, yet, I have sung a song for it with utmost passion.”

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment