'Afghan Bruce Lee' Dreams Of H'wood
(MENAFN- Arab Times) Framed by the dramatic backdrop of Kabul's ruined Darulaman palace, Abbas Alizada throws kung fu punches, kicks and spins, watched by an eager young crowd. Dressed in a white vest, black trousers and light shoes despite the bitter Afghan winter, Alizada bears a striking resemblance to his idol - legendary martial arts movie star Bruce Lee.
Alizada twirls his nunchuks in front of the shell-blasted walls of the former royal palace, an evocative monument to the 35 years of war that have ravaged Afghanistan. Then he leaves the enclosure, smiling, sunglasses on his nose, his fans can finally meet him, shake his hand - and take selfies with him. He is a member of Afghanistan's Hazara community, an ethnic group with distinctively Central Asian features that add to his resemblance to Hong Kong star Lee.
With more than 50,000 followers on Twitter and 40,000 likes on Facebook, Alizada has become quite a celebrity in Afghanistan, known locally as "Bruce Hazara". He has become a familiar face on local media and now he is dreaming of Hollywood stardom. "When I was eight years old I saw the Bruce Lee movies, and I was hooked," he told AFP in his brother's office in Kabul, sitting round a traditional "sandali" stove for warmth.
"I said I will be the Bruce Lee of Afghanistan one day. I know I cannot be Bruce Lee, but I follow in his path," he said. Alizada is the youngest of 10 children and his older brothers have followed his career closely. One of them, 25-year-old Ahmad Zia, works as his manager, coach and secretary.
"I'm very hopeful that my brother will become a member of Hollywood," Zia said. Alizada dreams of working with Hong Kong martial arts movie star Jackie Chan - who he respectfully refers to as "Mr Jackie".
He also idolises action stars such as "Mr Rambo" - Sylvester Stallone - Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. But his biggest ambition is to complete "The Game of Death", the film Lee left unfinished when he died in 1973. "Bruce didn't finish his last movie, he did half of the movie. My project is to complete this movie," Alizada said.
Pride
Hollywood or no, Alizada is already the pride of the Kabul district where he lives. "Abbas is a hero, he's a superstar for us," engineer Mohammad Ali Mokhtar, 25, said. "Our country faces difficult problems, like drugs, security, and so on. We hope Abbas will raise the name of our country."
Apart from the country's reputation, Mokhtar also hopes Abbas can fly the flag for the Hazaras, a largely Shiite Muslim community that has suffered sectarian discrimination and violence in the past from Sunni hardliners. "It's important for us Hazaras especially, because we like to live in a peaceful environment," he said.
Fellow fan Ramin, a politics student, said the first time he saw him on the TV, "I was shocked how much he looked like (Lee). I'm so pleased that we have such a character in Afghanistan." When he's not training at Darulaman or in his martial arts club, Alizada looks after his father, who is paralysed down his left side. The old man encourages his youngest son and hopes he can become a Hollywood star.
Also:
LOS ANGELES: Lionsgate UK has taken UK rights to feel-good inspirational movie "Eddie the Eagle," which Matthew Vaughn's Marv Films is producing. The film has just started production in the Alps and moves to the UK next month. Lionsgate UK plans to release the film in the UK in spring 2016; 20th Century Fox will distribute in all other territories worldwide.
The film details the exploits of Michael Edwards, better known as "Eddie the Eagle," the most famous ski jumper in British history. Edwards won the hearts of sports fans around the world by making a catastrophic showing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The film's portrayal of Edwards' never-say-die approach to the sport "celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges."
Eddie will be played by Taron Egerton, who appeared in Vaughn's "Kingsman: The Secret Service." That film has become a worldwide blockbuster, grossing more than $250 million with several major territories still due to release. Hugh Jackman plays a ski-jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the Calgary Olympics.
"Eddie the Eagle" will be directed by Dexter Fletcher, who helmed "Wild Bill" and musical "Sunshine in Leith," and appeared in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," which Vaughn produced, and in Vaughn's directorial debut, "Layer Cake."
Vaughn, Adam Bohling, David Reid, Rupert Maconick and Valerie Van Galder are producing the film from a screenplay by Sean Macaulay. Lionsgate UK CEO Zygi Kamasa commented: "When you combine Eddie the Eagle, Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton, Matthew Vaughn and Dexter Fletcher making one of the biggest British movies for many years you've got something that's unmissable. I'm the first one in line to pay to see that film and I don't think there isn't an adult in the UK who won't want to join me. Charming, funny and emotional - audiences are going to love this."
The Mark Gordon Co. and Entertainment One are teaming on the spy thriller "All the Old Knives" as the first project from their recently launched independent studio.
Neil Burger, "Divergent" director, is attached to helm the project, which Olen Steinhauer (author of "The Tourist" and "An American Spy") adapted from his novel of the same name. Nick Wechsler will produce with Chockstone Pictures partners Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz along with Chockstone's Roger Schwartz, who will serve as a co-producer. Shooting is expected to commence by the end of the year.
"All the Old Knives" takes place in the idyllic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, where two ex-lovers - one CIA spy and one ex-CIA spy - meet for dinner and to relive their memories of a disastrous hijacking, possibly in an effort to get to the bottom of a conspiracy.
Gordon and eOne announced the partnership in January. EOne will handle worldwide distribution and directly distribute the film in all of its territories including Canada, the UK, Spain, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand.
Alizada twirls his nunchuks in front of the shell-blasted walls of the former royal palace, an evocative monument to the 35 years of war that have ravaged Afghanistan. Then he leaves the enclosure, smiling, sunglasses on his nose, his fans can finally meet him, shake his hand - and take selfies with him. He is a member of Afghanistan's Hazara community, an ethnic group with distinctively Central Asian features that add to his resemblance to Hong Kong star Lee.
With more than 50,000 followers on Twitter and 40,000 likes on Facebook, Alizada has become quite a celebrity in Afghanistan, known locally as "Bruce Hazara". He has become a familiar face on local media and now he is dreaming of Hollywood stardom. "When I was eight years old I saw the Bruce Lee movies, and I was hooked," he told AFP in his brother's office in Kabul, sitting round a traditional "sandali" stove for warmth.
"I said I will be the Bruce Lee of Afghanistan one day. I know I cannot be Bruce Lee, but I follow in his path," he said. Alizada is the youngest of 10 children and his older brothers have followed his career closely. One of them, 25-year-old Ahmad Zia, works as his manager, coach and secretary.
"I'm very hopeful that my brother will become a member of Hollywood," Zia said. Alizada dreams of working with Hong Kong martial arts movie star Jackie Chan - who he respectfully refers to as "Mr Jackie".
He also idolises action stars such as "Mr Rambo" - Sylvester Stallone - Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. But his biggest ambition is to complete "The Game of Death", the film Lee left unfinished when he died in 1973. "Bruce didn't finish his last movie, he did half of the movie. My project is to complete this movie," Alizada said.
Pride
Hollywood or no, Alizada is already the pride of the Kabul district where he lives. "Abbas is a hero, he's a superstar for us," engineer Mohammad Ali Mokhtar, 25, said. "Our country faces difficult problems, like drugs, security, and so on. We hope Abbas will raise the name of our country."
Apart from the country's reputation, Mokhtar also hopes Abbas can fly the flag for the Hazaras, a largely Shiite Muslim community that has suffered sectarian discrimination and violence in the past from Sunni hardliners. "It's important for us Hazaras especially, because we like to live in a peaceful environment," he said.
Fellow fan Ramin, a politics student, said the first time he saw him on the TV, "I was shocked how much he looked like (Lee). I'm so pleased that we have such a character in Afghanistan." When he's not training at Darulaman or in his martial arts club, Alizada looks after his father, who is paralysed down his left side. The old man encourages his youngest son and hopes he can become a Hollywood star.
Also:
LOS ANGELES: Lionsgate UK has taken UK rights to feel-good inspirational movie "Eddie the Eagle," which Matthew Vaughn's Marv Films is producing. The film has just started production in the Alps and moves to the UK next month. Lionsgate UK plans to release the film in the UK in spring 2016; 20th Century Fox will distribute in all other territories worldwide.
The film details the exploits of Michael Edwards, better known as "Eddie the Eagle," the most famous ski jumper in British history. Edwards won the hearts of sports fans around the world by making a catastrophic showing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The film's portrayal of Edwards' never-say-die approach to the sport "celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges."
Eddie will be played by Taron Egerton, who appeared in Vaughn's "Kingsman: The Secret Service." That film has become a worldwide blockbuster, grossing more than $250 million with several major territories still due to release. Hugh Jackman plays a ski-jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the Calgary Olympics.
"Eddie the Eagle" will be directed by Dexter Fletcher, who helmed "Wild Bill" and musical "Sunshine in Leith," and appeared in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," which Vaughn produced, and in Vaughn's directorial debut, "Layer Cake."
Vaughn, Adam Bohling, David Reid, Rupert Maconick and Valerie Van Galder are producing the film from a screenplay by Sean Macaulay. Lionsgate UK CEO Zygi Kamasa commented: "When you combine Eddie the Eagle, Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton, Matthew Vaughn and Dexter Fletcher making one of the biggest British movies for many years you've got something that's unmissable. I'm the first one in line to pay to see that film and I don't think there isn't an adult in the UK who won't want to join me. Charming, funny and emotional - audiences are going to love this."
The Mark Gordon Co. and Entertainment One are teaming on the spy thriller "All the Old Knives" as the first project from their recently launched independent studio.
Neil Burger, "Divergent" director, is attached to helm the project, which Olen Steinhauer (author of "The Tourist" and "An American Spy") adapted from his novel of the same name. Nick Wechsler will produce with Chockstone Pictures partners Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz along with Chockstone's Roger Schwartz, who will serve as a co-producer. Shooting is expected to commence by the end of the year.
"All the Old Knives" takes place in the idyllic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, where two ex-lovers - one CIA spy and one ex-CIA spy - meet for dinner and to relive their memories of a disastrous hijacking, possibly in an effort to get to the bottom of a conspiracy.
Gordon and eOne announced the partnership in January. EOne will handle worldwide distribution and directly distribute the film in all of its territories including Canada, the UK, Spain, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand.
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