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Saif Ali Khan in talks to star in a biopic

Naam Shabana fame director Shivam Nair is planning a film based on the real-life story of Uzma Ahmad, an Indian girl who fell in love with a wrong Pakistani man who forced her to marry him at gunpoint. After going through an unforgettable ordeal in the neighbouring country, Uzma could manage to return to her home in India only when Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj decided to take the matter in her hand.

While the name of actress Ileana D'Cruz, who was last seen in Baadshaho, is almost confirmed for the lead role, reports suggest that the makers are now in touch with superstar Saif Ali Khan for an important role.


Confirming the news to an Indian daily, Nair said, "Yes, we are in talks with Saif. We are in the final stages of scripting and then, we will take the final call. Saif will be the main male lead, if he says yes."

Nair also said that while people know what all Uzma went through in Pakistan, not many know about the diplomat who helped her in the Indian embassy. Saif is being considered for the role of the Indian diplomat.

"Along with Uzma's story, our story is also about a diplomat in the Indian embassy and the Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. The character is of an Indian diplomat who is there in Pakistan, and how he handles the whole case. When the girl is inside the Embassy, he is the one helping and taking care of her. We only know about Uzma and her story. People don't know much about the role of this diplomat. It's a positive role. That's the major part of the story. The diplomat and the girl (to be rescued) are the lead roles," added Nair.

If Saif agrees to do the project, it will be his second film with Ileana. They have worked together in the 2014 film Happy Ending.

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Riz Ahmed’s 'Hamlet' trailer drops murder suspicion into a South Asian business dynasty

Riz Ahmed’s Hamlet trailer exposes a South Asian family empire in crisis

Youtube Screengrabs/Universal Pictures UK

Riz Ahmed’s 'Hamlet' trailer drops murder suspicion into a South Asian business dynasty

Highlights:

  • Hamlet trailer lands with Riz Ahmed in the lead role
  • Film sets Shakespeare inside a wealthy British South Asian family
  • Directed by Aneil Karia and in cinemas 6 February 2025
  • Cast includes Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chadha and Art Malik

Riz Ahmed has entered Hamlet in a way British cinema has not quite seen. The new Hamlet trailer has been released by Universal, giving the first proper look at Aneil Karia’s modern take on Shakespeare and placing the story inside a British South Asian business empire. It is due in cinemas on 6 February, and the footage shows a tense, controlled Ahmed moving through grief, suspicion and family power.

The film teams Ahmed and Karia again after The Long Goodbye, which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. That success informs this production. This is the first time a major UK studio release has grounded Hamlet within a South Asian household for a wide audience.

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