July 24, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Noida based Pradhuman Singh Mall never thought in his wildest dreams that he’d be playing the comic character of the most wanted man on the face of the earth! But as you have it director /writer Abhishek Sharma of the sleeper hit Tere Bin Laden would have it no other way!
Amused by audience reactions says Pradhuman, “Folks that’s me!”
Walkwater’s Tere Bin Laden is a tongue-in-cheek comedy about an ambitious young news reporter from Pakistan who comes across an Osama Bin Laden look alike. A scheme is hatched to produce a fake Osama video and sell it to news channels as a breakthrough scoop!
Unfortunately there are serious ramifications as the White House gets involved and dispatches an overzealous secret agent on Osama’s trail.
The actor who received rave reviews for his performance as the ‘Fake Osama Bin Laden’ goes unrecognized even today thanks to the handiwork of Vikram Gaikwad and Rajesh Sharma the makeup artists of the film.
Says Pradhuman, “I had done theatre during my student days with Abhishek Sharma. He had this fuzzy image of me and that it resembled Osama. Though Abhishek had moved to Mumbai, he managed to locate me. He began with a show reel of Osama and said this is what I want you to be act in the film. I was taken aback! A look test followed and the resemblance was uncanny. Initially I did have apprehensions about doing the role and if there would be any backlash but it was just for a movie”.
News of him playing the controversial role was kept under wraps even from his family and friends who were told only once the promos of the film hit screens.
Confirms Pradhuman, “It was only when the promos were out did I tell my family. They were shocked but could not believe that I could have pulled off playing the most wanted man on earth. Now I have to show my real face to the industry”.
— Sampurn Wire
