With his first film, actor Abrar Zahoor, made an impression as the terrorist Zayd Safarini in Neerja. Now, with his next film, Uri, the 29-year-old is hoping to further consolidate his position, as one of the promising young performers in the industry.
“I didn’t have to work on my character much. The mentality and approach to the role was same as the last film, and I had worked very hard to get it right. The only difference is, I was up in the air in Neerja, in Uri I am on land,” says Abrar, who plays terrorist Idris in this film that’s based on the 2016 Indian Army’s surgical strikes on Pakistan in retaliation to the Uri attack.
Uri, has been in the news for quite sometime because of the subject. Directed by debutant Aditya Dhar this film has been predominantly shot in Serbia, because its terrain is similar to Kashmir. Throwing more light on the plot and his character, Abrar says, “Idris is the guy who has been planning attacks in Kashmir. He is very good with disguises and can move around everywhere without getting caught. Basically, I play a badass.”
The film features Vicky Kaushal in the lead role of an army officer. Abrar, who had watched Vicky in Raman Raghav 2.0, is glad he got an opportunity to work with the latter. “I was a huge fan! The way he played a cop in Raman Raghav 2.0, got me hooked onto him,” he says, adding further, “Vicky is very talented and knows his craft really well. He can do anything. Ask him to lie down and dance and he will do that as well. He is extremely spontaneous. He is someone who I really look up to, apart from Jim Sarbh and Gulshan Devaiah.”
Next, the actor is prepping for the role of a cricketer in a web series titled Cartel by Alt Balaji. It’s a series that shows the dark side of the cricketing and glamour world. Abrar, a die-hard Sachin Tendulkar fan, played cricket up to the U-19 level, and then he met with an accident. But now, he says with the lead role in this web series, he will be living his dream. “I need to be like Virat Kohli, my character is closest to him. When I play such intense characters, I get to explore more of my personality,” he signs off.
ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com
@aishatax