Raina's character in 'Hijack' based on Masood

Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS) Television and film actor K.K. Raina, who is playing a negative role in "Hijack", says his character is based on the dreaded terrorist Masood Azhar, who was one of the main causes behind the Kandahar hijack in 1999.

Masood Azhar, Chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, was one of the three dreaded terrorists to have been released to end the siege of the Delhi-bound flight from Kathmandu that was hijacked to Kandahar, Afghanistan, by five militants of the terrorist outfit.

"The film is loosely based on Kandahar hijack case and my character on Masood Azhar, though I am not called by that name in the film," Raina told IANS.

"I am hardly addressed by any name in the film as the makers want people to identify the character with the actual terrorist," said Raina.

Raina has been associated mostly with off beat movies and is known for his performances in films like "Mandi", "Trikaal", "Party", "Ek Rukha Hua Faisla", "Main Azaad Hoon" and Mrinal Sen's tele-film "Tasveer Apni Apni".

He has worked with acclaimed directors like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Basu Chatterjee and more recently Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, among others.

The actor who has portrayed positive roles till date in various films and television serials is playing a negative character for the first time in his career.

"It was a great experience to play a negative role as I have never done it before," said Raina.

Raina said the film is special to him not only because he has played a negative role, but also because he had to perform some dangerous stunts for it too.

"I had to hang from a flying helicopter for 35 minutes," said the 55-year-old actor.

"It is in the beginning of the movie where my fellow terrorists want to free me when I am being shifted to another jail. They arrange for a helicopter for my escape and I am supposed to hang from it. And I did that for 35 minutes."

"It was all possible because of my director Kunal Shivdasani and action director Allan Amin," said Raina whose future projects include Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's "Dilli 6" and Amitabh Bachchan starrer "Teen Patti".

"Hijack", directed by debutant director Kunal Shivdasani, has Shiney Ahuja, Esha Deol and Kaveri Jha in important roles.

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