SRK doesn’t let real Raees’s son rise

When he started shooting for Raees, Shah Rukh Khan visited Gujarat at least twice to meet Mustak Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh at the latter’s invitation. This  was done to enable SRK to understand his Raees character Abdul Latif (also Mustak’s father).

Says a  source, “At the outset, Raees was being made with Mustak’s active involvement. He provided inputs and kept track of the shooting to ensure the film was going smoothly.”

Thereafter, it came to light that the entire Latif family was very close to the ruling BJP government.  Says the source, “When Shah Rukh realised his meetings with Latif were being given political overtones, he decided to keep a distance. When Mustak invited Shah Rukh again, the actor didn’t respond. This incensed Mustak who felt affronted by the star’s snub and decided to  dissociate from the project.” Now it is learnt that Mustak has asked for a huge amount money (rumoured to be `10 crores) to allow the film’s release.

However,  a source from the production says, “SRK is away, shooting for The Ring and thereafter, will be tied up, promoting Dear Zindagi. He’s extremely busy and therefore, unavailable.”

The inspiration

In Raees, Shah Rukh Khan plays a character apparently inspired by Abdul Latif, an alleged gangster who ran the illicit liquor business in Gujarat during the peak of Prohibition in the 1990s. Allegedly, Latif had over 40 murder cases filed against him.