It's <i>Karachi Express</i> now

By: Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Yash Raj is ready with Kabul Express. Now Junaid Memon, who made his directorial debut with a film called The Film, is working on his second film called Karachi Express. "Let me clarify at the very outset. Karachi Express has nothing to do with Kabul Express. Nor am I wanting to capitalize on similar sounding names," Junaid tells me.

Please continue. "I've been working on the script of Karachi Express since last two years. In fact, I had announced this title [Karachi Express] on my website almost two years ago," he states, adding in the same breath, "Karachi Express is not about war."

So what's Karachi Express all about? "The story is set after the 1971 Indo-Pak war and talks of friendship between the two nations. It tells the story of two different individuals -- one Indian, the other Pakistani. It looks at the Pakistani individual's journey in India and vice-versa, the Indian individual's journey in Pakistan," he divulges.

Is Junaid planning to shoot in Pakistan? "Of course, yes! In fact, I am already talking to people in Pakistan. I am even planning to cast a number of Pakistani actors in the film," he says. However, Junaid hasn't finalized the two main protagonists of Karachi Express. "I'd love to cast Saif Ali Khan and Abhishek Bachchan," he reveals, "I have already met Saif, he has liked the concept, but nothing is on paper yet. As for Abhishek, I am planning to get in touch with him in a couple of days," he discloses.

Junaid plans to begin filming Karachi Express in October this year. A leading corporate house is backing the project, he adds.