Faisal Aman Khan, a Britain-based independent filmmaker who is directing the film, met the cricketer-turned-politician several times while researching the project to get him to endorse the movie.
“Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country. Faisal’s persistence finally paid off in ultimately convincing him,” Naveed Anwar, the film’s assistant director and screenwriter, told.
The film, currently in post-production, will be ready for distribution this fall but its producers are tight-lipped about the scheduled release date, a source informed.
Director Khan had the idea of making the movie two years ago after he graduated from film school.
“We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Pakistan that have a global appeal,” said assistant director Anwar. The filmmakers plan to release ‘Kaptaan’, which has a cast of 107 actors, in Pakistan and abroad.
Saeeda Imtiaz, a Pakistani-American model based in New York, plays Jemima while local model Abdul Mannan plays the iconic star.
Imran has come in for praise and criticism during his career as a politician. Pakistani liberals deride him as a supporter of the Taliban and other extremist groups while his campaign against corruption and US drone strikes has earned him a lot of young supporters.
