KARACHI: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said on Wednesday the makers of his biopic had violated an agreement with him by not seeking approval on the script and key actors, adding they had “no room” to tell his life story anymore.
Titled “Rawalpindi Express,” the biopic was announced in July 2022 and, according to Akhtar, was going to be the first foreign film about a Pakistani sportsman. The production had to capture the rise to fame by one of the fastest bowlers in the history of cricket and was to be directed and produced by Dubai-based filmmaker Faraz Qaiser.
“As per agreement, clear clauses were written that approvals will be taken from Shoaib Akhtar in terms of script and lead actor as well as actors portraying Akhtar’s immediate family members,” the Pakistani pacer told Arab News.
“At different stages, the director was asked to share the script,” he continued. “[There were a] few months of excuses and then eventually it was clearly communicated to us that the script will not be shared as it is the director’s prerogative to choose actors and the final script.”
Pakistani musician and actor Umair Jaswal was roped in last November to play Akhtar’s role in the biopic, though he announced to step away from the project earlier this month due to “creative and personal reasons.”
More recently, the Pakistani cricketer decided to terminate the agreement with the makers of his “dream project,” citing “constant contractual violations.”
He also threatened to take legal action if the makers continued to work on “biography film and use my name or life story events in any way.”
At the time of the project announcements, Akhtar told Arab News that narrations would be done with him at different stages of the film. However, after these narrations were carried out and he gave a go-ahead, the script was not shared with him.
“As per agreement, there was a 60-day dispute resolution clause,” he informed. “We followed that completely, sent notices but no script was shared and they kept on hiring and firing actors without our feedback. We sent termination after finishing the legal time period.”
“They’re not the makers [of the film] anymore,” he added. “The contract is terminated legally. There’s no room for them to continue making my life story. I repeat, absolutely no room for my story to be told by them. There will be strict legal action if it continues and [we will do] everything possible in the law to stop them.”
Born in Rawalpindi in August 1975, Akhtar was the first cricketer to bowl at 100 miles per hour, a feat he achieved twice in his career. He also took 178 Test, 247 One-Day and 19 Twenty20 wickets while playing for Pakistan.
Qaiser, who was supposed to direct and produce the film under his own banner, Q Film Productions, declined to comment for this story.
