Shoaib Akhtar, the renowned Pakistani cricketer, has recently obtained a stay order against the makers of his supposed biopic. This legal action comes in response to persistent threats made by a certain group of individuals who have vowed to continue filming, despite the termination of the agreement between Akhtar and the filmmakers.
On Monday, Akhtar took to his Instagram story to share a screenshot of his Facebook post, which stated, “Alhamdolillah, I have secured a stay order against the filming and release of the supposed biopic being made on my life by a certain group of people.” He also cautioned that anyone involved in the project should be aware of the illegality of their actions and the potential damage to their reputation.
To provide further clarity on the matter, a notice from Akhtar’s lawyer was attached to the Instagram story. The notice reveals that the court, through its order dated June 22, 2023, has prohibited the producer of the biopic, titled “Rawalpindi Express,” from shooting, filming, or releasing any part of the film through any media platform, including social media and cinemas, until a final decision is reached in the ongoing legal battle.
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Akhtar filed the lawsuit against the producer/director of the biopic, who has persistently threatened and continued the production of the film, despite the termination of the agreement between the parties. The notice serves as a stern warning that the film is currently under dispute and subject to litigation. It explicitly states that anyone involved in the production, in any capacity, will be held accountable for their actions. Furthermore, the notice highlights that the police will conduct raids to halt any future filming, as directed by the court.
Although Akhtar did not mention any names, the director of the film is Muhammad Faraz Qaiser. Produced by QFilms and written by Qaiser Nawaz, “Rawalpindi Express” originally featured singer-turned-actor Umair Jaswal in the lead role. However, he exited the project earlier this year, citing “creative and personal” reasons.
Following Jaswal’s departure, the future of “Rawalpindi Express” became uncertain. Shoaib Akhtar himself took to Twitter to announce that he had distanced himself from the “dream project” and legally revoked all rights to his life’s story.
Akhtar stated that “failure to resolve disagreements” and “constant contractual violations” led to his decision. He expressed his sadness over the turn of events, mentioning that he had made every effort to salvage the project. He emphasized that severe legal action would be taken if the filmmakers decided to proceed without his approval.
Initially scheduled for a November release this year, “Rawalpindi Express” was announced in July 2022 as the “first foreign film about a Pakistani sportsman.” Director Qaiser expressed his excitement, as the project finally materialized after an idea he had conceived back in 2016.