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Tight security for Indian film crew in Afghanistan
By Gurinder Randhawa, Indo-Asian News Service

Kabul, Nov 29 (IANS) With Bollywood actors like John Abraham in Afghanistan, authorities are taking no chances and have tightened security for the film crew following the murder of Indian driver Ramankutty Maniyappan by the Taliban.

Besides Abraham, "Munnabhai MBBS" actor Arshad Warsi and his wife, former veejay Maria Goretti, are also in Afghanistan to shoot for the "Kabul Express", a thriller set in the country's rugged lanscape.

Goretti, who is here for the first schedule of the film, said the Afghan police were guarding the unit round-the-clock and they were staying in a high security area.

Besides, relatives and friends of Warsi and Abraham have been calling up to inquire about their safety following the scare among Indians created by the kidnapping and subsequent killing of Border Roads Organisation's Maniyappan Nov 22.

However, Goretti was confident that the unit would not get into trouble because "director Kabir Khan is thoroughly well-acquainted with Afghan sensibilities, culture, and their love for the Indian films and film personalities". 

Khan, a renowned documentary filmmaker, has earlier shot a record number of documentaries in Afghanistan.

Arshad Warsi plays a cinematographer and John Abraham, a TV director in the thriller set in post 9/11 Afghanistan.

The anti-war film tells the story of a 48-hour car drive through the war-torn country that has witnessed tumult since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 when the fundamentalist hardliners were ousted by a US-led invasion.

The undeniable love for Bollywood in Afghanistan is evident as a large crowd of curious Afghans, mostly young, follow the "Kabul Express" unit wherever it goes for shooting.

Though there is a new government in place led by President Hamid Karzai and parliamentary elections were held in September this year, the remnants of the Taliban are still active in the southern part of the country and carry out attacks against foreign security personnel and aid workers as well as the government.

Very few Indian film stars have ventured to Afghanistan in the last four years for shows. This is the first time after the Taliban's ouster that a Bollywood producer has dared to shoot a film on Afghanistan in the country. 

A few months ago, singer Sonu Nigam had come for a show at the invitation of his Afghan friends and got a rapturous response from the people.
 
Tight security for the team of 'Kabul Express'
By Manissha Despaande, Indo-Asian News Service
 
Following the killing of Indian Ramankutty Maniyappan in Afghanistan, security has been tightened for the cast and crew of "Kabul Express", which is stationed in Kabul for the shooting.

Relatives and friends of Arshad Warsi and John Abraham, who play the two main protagonists, have been telephoning their homes to inquire about their safety, reports Bollywood Trade.

However, the Afghan government has been taking additional measures to ensure protection for the whole unit.

According to Arshad Warsi's wife Maria Goretti, the unit is unlikely to get into any trouble because of director Kabir Khan, who is thoroughly well acquainted with the rough terrain of Afghanistan.

Khan, a reckoned documentary filmmaker in his own right, has shot a record number of documentaries in Afghanistan. According to Goretti, who was in Kabul for the first schedule of the film, the Afghan police were guarding the unit round-the-clock.

Very few artistes have ventured into Afghanistan in recent times. A few months ago singer Sonu Nigam went there for a show at the invitation of his Afghan friends. The show got a thumping response though the security measures sent his family worrying about his safety till he returned.

"Kabul Express" is a thriller and an anti-war film set post 9/11. It tells the story of a 48-hour car drive in Afghanistan, whose Taliban regime was ousted by the US after the terror attacks. Arshad Warsi plays a cinematographer and John Abraham a TV director.