I’m not a captain in the film, just the eleventh fielder: Mohammad Azharuddin
Mumbai: He was an accomplished captain who led the Indian cricket team in the 1990s. Coming out to bat with collars raised, he managed to turn many heads with his artistic approach towards the leather. Not on the pitch but inside a multiplex, this time, a pensive Mohammad Azharuddin watched a slice of his life’s document here on Thursday.
(Photo: AP)
‘Azhar’ – the Emraan Hashmi starrer (his biopic) – is scheduled to release on May 13 in 2016. The cricketer was present to catch the teaser.
(L-R) Emraan Hashmi, Mohammad Azharuddin, director Anthony D'Souza, Ekta Kapoor. (Photo: DC)
A wristy player, known for his graceful ‘flick of the wrist’ and ‘leg glance’, the tall man – still chewing the gum he did during his cricketing days – took a long time to say ‘yes’ to the producers of the film.
First look of Azhar
Though Bollywood has been taking the biopic route recently (with films like ‘Mary Kom’ and ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’), Azharuddin was taken aback when approached for consent by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms Limited.
“I didn’t understand what they (producers) were saying. I took a lot of time to get convinced but then I knew Ekta’s father Jeetendra sir. I had faith in him and I knew there was a lot of thinking that led to the process. I read the script and gave my own inputs also. After a lot of introspection, I gave my consent,” said the former India captain, who scored 22 centuries in Test cricket, at an average of 45.03, and seven in ODIs, at an average of 36.92.
(Photo: DC)
Azharuddin’s success story crumbled when his name popped up in the match-fixing scandal in 2000. It tainted his career and he was banned for life by the BCCI. Later, in 2006, it was lifted during the ICC Champions Trophy in Mumbai.
(Photo: AFP)
Asked if smooch king Emraan would be the ideal person to personify him on screen, the 52-year-old said: “I think he is very apt for the role, he has worked very hard, a lot of people have asked me, ‘Why Emraan?’ That’s because he’s my favourite actor and after he completes the film, I think he will be called Azhar and I don’t mind that at all.”
(Photo: DC)
Although Emraan is known for his explicit scenes on the silver screen, Azharuddin remarked that he will do a good job and in fact, a better one, portraying the cricketer’s controversial life. “For the love scenes in the film, Emraan will certainly not take any help from me, but on the contrary I have to take some cues from him,” Azharuddin laughed.
Questions are being raised as to who will grab the coveted role to play his wife, Sangeeta Bijlani, whom he married in 1996 but later separated in 2010. “If I was the decision maker, then I would want her (Sangeeta) only to play the role. I am not a captain in this film, I am just the eleventh fielder here. When ladies take the decision, it is advisable that men don’t interfere,” said Azharuddin.
(Photo: AFP)
The teaser depicted three stages of Azhar’s life – cricketing career, personal life and match-fixing scandal and it is left to be seen whether this biopic will further reveal unknown facts on one of India’s most successful captains (winning 90 ODIs) before Mahendra Singh Dhoni broke his record.
But as far as his fans go, they will always remember their once upon a time India captain. “I appreciate my fans all over, they say, ‘Azhar bhai, you were a great fielder,’ so I tell them, ‘bhai I also batted very well,’” Azhar added.
Azharuddin’s long career spanning over 15 years has been a blessing and he owes a lot to his ‘taaviz’. “The ‘taaviz’ (which he still wears) was given to me by my grandfather and has helped me perform well on the pitch. There is something written inside, but I have no clue what it is as he had told me not to open it. Even till today, I have no idea what’s inside,” added Azharuddin.
Let’s hope this biopic brings back glories of the former skipper who took India to the semifinal of the World Cup in 1996 and won many Test matches single-handedly.
