Rahul Bhatt keen on writing screenplay for film adaptation of his 26/11 book 'Headly And I'

Mumbai: Rahul Bhatt, actor and son of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt who befriended 26/11 mastermind David Coleman Headley without knowing who he was talks about counter-terrorism, his book 'Headley & I', movie rights of the book and much more.

Were you keenly following the Headley case?

I had to! Counter-terrorism is my forte now. After what I’ve gone through I wanted to see where the trail of the trial would finally lead to. I was hoping it wouldn’t have been a dead-end.

If Headley had been brought back to India would it have given you personal satisfaction after the way he betrayed your trust?

What he did to me is immaterial. The permanent damage he caused to those 69 victims of the 26/11 attack is what should concern all of us. For their sake Headley should have been brought back to India where he would have faced criminal trial in India. Then the courts here would have decided whether to hang him or whether to give him a life sentence.

A lot of us felt disappointed at the US court’s verdict?

Yes. David Headley was sentenced only to 35 years. In an American prison that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. They treat their prisoners like guests. You get every facility including conjugal rights. It should have been 35 years in an Indian prison where he would have rotted.

So would you have preferred him to be in India?

He should have been extradited to India. Because of the complicity of the American intelligence agencies that has not been done. He was an undercover agent trying to penetrate the Al-Qaida.What happened there? We’ll never know. The truth could’ve only come out if he was extradited. Now it’s over. They’ve put a closure on the case. The interrogation was done in a pre-planned doctored atmosphere. The three officers interrogating Headley were asked certain questions and not to ask others.

Did the court verdict on Headley add to your book’s sales?

Of course. 'Headley and I' had already sold out in the first print.

Producer Sunil Bohra has bought the movie rights of your book. Happy?

It’s awesome. My co-author Hussain Zaidi and I don’t have a say in the making of the film. But I’ve offered to be a consultant on the movie project.

Would you like to write the screenplay?

Of course! I am a writer’s son, remember? It’s in the genes.

If you had to describe your feelings for David Headley in one word at this point of time which word would you choose?

Contempt.