WADOO DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM SIKANDAR

‘It is not my story’

Abid Khan

Srinagar, Mar 19: Kashmir’s international footballer, Mehrajjudin Wadoo on Thursday distanced himself from the upcoming Bollywood movie, Sikandar and said that story of the movie has nothing to do with his life.
“The story of the movie has nothing to do with my life nor the writer or director has talked to me regarding it,” Wadoo said.
Piyush Jha, director and writer of the movie has been repeatedly saying that the movie is inspired by the success of Wadoo. Wadoo who is presently in Goa, said few days back Piyush called him and requested him to promote the movie.
“He (Piyush) requested me to be part of the promotion campaign of the film that is scheduled to be released on March 27. But I told him that I’m busy with the matches and moreover I also don’t know anything about the story,” Wadoo said.
“Afterwards I contacted people in media and film industry to get information about the story of the movie. But I was shocked when I heard the story which is a typical Bollywood masala film and has nothing to do with my life” he clarified.
Wadoo said he called the director on Thursday and categorically told him that he has nothing to with the film. “He told me to come to Mumbai where a joint press conference will be given in which all the matters will be cleared,” he revealed. “I asked him to give me clarification statements in the two newspapers of Kolkatta and J&K which he readily agreed. I also asked the director to give me clearance letter in which it is written that I have never met nor has anything to do with this movie,” Wadoo added.
The international football star said that if the movie is projected as his journey to Indian team then people would think that he is a militant turned football player.
“The movie is a story about a young boy who has a dream to play football for the national team. One day he finds a gun on his way to school and he joins the militant ranks later. They have twisted the story by mentioning that the parents of the boy have been killed by militants” he said.
Wadoo said that his journey from valley football fields to Indian team is totally different.
“My parents are alive and my father was also a footballer. I joined football at young age. The movie is only creativity of the writer and nothing else,” he clarified.
Wadoo said that if the matter is not cleared quickly it could affect his playing career as well as family in valley.
Sikandar is directed by Piyush Jha who has earlier directed comedies like King of Bollywood and Chalo America. Apart from direction he has also written the script of suspense thrillers. The film stars Kuch Kuch Hota Hain and Parzania fame Parzaan Dastur now in his teens, Ayesha Kapur of Black fame along with R Madhavan, Sanjay Suri and Arunoday Singh in key roles. The film has been mostly shot in Pahalgam.

published in Greater Kashmir on Mar 20 -2009 link http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=20_3_2009&ItemID=4&cat=4