Be it in the Pakistani film Khuda Ke Liye or this Friday’s release Shoot On Sight , actor Naseeruddin Shah is representing the liberal face of Islam in films.
Based on the 2005 London train bombings, ’Shoot On Sight’ has Naseer playing a Muslim cop in London who investigates the terror attacks even as he witnesses his own Muslim community being discriminated against in the UK.
Talking about his role in the film, Naseer told a news agency: "I am playing the character of Tariq Ali, a devout Muslim who represents the modern face of the religion while the character of Om Puri propogates another face which is totally different from Tariq’s understanding of the religion".
Om Puri plays a maulvi with a fanatic mindset.
Not just on the silver screen but in real life as well, Naseer disapproves of the ’theory of persecution’ in the aftermath of Delhi serial blasts.
"I do not subscribe to the theory of persecution that many people believe in. One can see that a lot of the coverage that is done in the media is biased. They give prominance to the people who spread hatred and portray it as if these are the feelings of whole community," he says.
The film is entirely shot in London and is directed by the critically acclaimed filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra .
