Omar Abdullah: In a new role

Bangkok, June 8: Another son has made his big screen debut, only this time he’s not the heir of any film family but a political scion.

Omar Abdullah, chief of the National Conference and son of Farooq Abdullah, will make his Bollywood debut in Apoorva Lakhia’s forthcoming political thriller Mission Istanbul.

“Yes, we shot with Omar Abdullah for an important scene in the film,” Lakhia said at the three-day IIFA celebrations.

In the film starring Viveik Oberoi and Zayed Khan among others, Omar played himself and gave an interview on the current political scenario in Kashmir, an important setting in the film.

“We thought who better than Omar himself to come and talk through the film about what’s going on in the Valley and how he sees things changing,” said Lakhia.

“While we had prepared the lines for him, Omar collaborated on the dialogues and gave a more balanced view on the subject.”

Among other things, Mission Istanbul explores how the media is used today by terrorists as a messenger of terror across the world.

This would not be the first time a politician has appeared in a Bollywood film.

The face of Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, thanks to his association with the Bachchans, has been seen in some releases. Lalu Prasad has also faced the camera for a Hindi film. But among the young crop of politicians, Omar is one of the first to hit the silver screen.

“He was very excited to shoot for the film and was seen giving autographs to those present on the sets,” said Lakhia. “Omar himself is very clued in on Hindi films even though his family watches more movies than him.”

The shooting wasn’t a cakewalk, though, for Omar. “Everyone gets jittery in front of the camera but by the fourth take he had become Omar Abdullah and gave us a couple of great shots,” said Lakhia. “But he wasn’t happy himself and kept asking ‘one more, one more?’”

Omar has also started blogging. Now with a film, he sure will not only be read but also seen.