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Malegaon: He earned laurels from
international film critics and experts when in his film he
campaigned against tobacco use and warned people about its danger.
But two years after release of the film, he himself became victim
of the same menace. Shafeeque Ahmed, who played the lead-role in
Malegaon Ka Superman - the award winning film starring the
local film artists is suffering from cancer.
"Shafeeque Ahmed
was diagnosed for cancer a year back and was undergoing treatment
at Mumbai's Tata hospital since then", Nasir Shaikh, the
Co-Producer and Asst. Director of the film and his colleague said
while speaking to ummid.com.
"He was
supported
by television artist and model Deepti Bhatnagar and others during
his stay at the hospital", he added.
Shafeeque Ahmed
in his lead-role as Malegaon Ka Superman campaigned against
tobacco and gutkha consumption. But he himself was addicted to
gutkha and could not resist the habit.
"He was
recovering and discharged from the hospital about six months ago.
However, the disease got reborn three months back and Shafeeque is
now struggling for his life in Malegaon", Nasir said.
Shafeeque Ahmed
is associated with Mollywood - as the local film industry
is popularly known as, since last several years. He acted in quite
a few number of films produced and directed by the local artists.
The film, Malegaon ka Superman, in which he played the
lead-role, became popular worldwide after Faiza Ahmad Khan, the
Director, received Jury Award for Best Documentary at Asiatica
Film Mediale, Rome in 2008.
The film was
later selected for screening - first by Ocian’s Cinefan film
festival held in New Delhi, and later for the International Film
Festival of India (IFFI) which was held in Goa in November 2009.
In the same year, the film was also selected for the film
festivals held in United States, Pakistan, Romania, Poland,
Israel, Spain and China in quick successions. In January 2010, the
film was screened in Dhaka and Kuwait, and in February 2010 was
selected for Vesoul Asian FF, France.
Incidentally,
the film despite being screened at various national and
international film festivals could not be formally released in
Malegaon theatres because of one issue or the other. In the wake
of Shafeeque Ahmed's illness, the local artists are now planning
to release the film in Malegaon immediately after Eid - the Muslim
festival to be celebrated after a fortnight.
"We want to give
Shafeeque Ahmed a surprise Eid gift by releasing the film in
Malegaon. Preparations are on and we are approaching guests to
confirm their presence. Deepti Bhatnagar and film director Anurag
Kashyab have already confirmed their availability for the premier
show", said Nasir.
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