Shoaib Akhtar bows out of biopic ‘Rawalpindi Express’
January 21, 2023
Pakistan’s former cricket star Shoaib Akhtar — nicknamed “Rawalpindi Express” — has disassociated himself from his biopic of the same name.
Citing a violation of the agreement, Akhtar announced on social media on Saturday, that he had parted ways with the makers of his biopic.
Taking to Twitter, the fast blower wrote: “Very sadly, I would like to inform all of you that after careful consideration of months, I have decided to disassociate myself from the film 'Rawalpindi Express' and its makers by terminating the agreement through my management and legal team.”
The legendary cricketer also warned the makers of the film that he would resort to taking legal action against them if they continued to make the film.
“Severe legal action will be taken if the makers continue to make biography film[s] and use my name or life story events in any way," he mentioned.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s renowned singer and actor Umair Jaswal, who was supposed to play the role of ‘Shoaib Akhtar’ in the biopic, stepped away from the project.
He too shared on the microblogging platform on January 5, 2023, that “due to creative and personal reasons, I have decided to step away from the Shoaib Akhtar biopic project RAWALPINDI EXPRESS. I will no longer be associated with any media or news related to this project. Wishing everyone involved all the best.”
On July 25, 2022, the former Pakistani fast bowler confirmed that a biopic titled "Rawalpindi Express" was being made on his life.
The former cricketer took to his official Instagram and Twitter accounts — in now-deleted posts — to share a motion poster of the film.
On Instagram, he wrote that the film is currently under production and would feature some never-before-seen facts from his life.
Akhtar, in his post, added that the movie is being directed by Faraz Qaiser and produced by Q Film Production. Akhtar wrote that this is the first international film to be made on the life of a Pakistani cricketer.
The film on the life of the fastest bowler in the world was set to be released in November this year.
