For Emraan, depicting Azhar’s personal journey was challenging

Mohammad Azharuddinn may be known for his exemplary cricketing skills, but it was a big challenge for actor Emraan Hashmi to depict the former Indian cricketer’s personal life in the upcoming biopic Azhar. Directed by Tony D’Souza, the movie is based on the life Azharuddin, who was implicated in a cricket match-fixing scandal in 2000, and banned by BCCI for life. In 2012, however, the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the ban, describing it as “unsustainable”.

Emraan said meeting Azharuddin up close and personal gave him “new dimensions” about Azhar’s life, including the tragic death of the cricketer’s son.

“There have been new dimensions that I came across once I started talking and understanding his personal experiences,” Emraan told reporters.