Mohua Chatterjee for Times News Network
New Delhi, Jun 9: So far his claim to fame has been taking up cudgels on behalf of unpopular causes. With a host of high profile criminal cases to his credit, including his brief of defending Manu Sharma in the Jessica Lall murder case, Ram Jethmalani never ceases to surprise.
But, this time he has decided on a role that he has never played before. At 85, the unconventional lawyer,
who has also been a politician with flair and in an individualistic manner, Jethmalani is set to act in a music video to be released later this month.
He has made headlines — whether by leaving the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet in a huff or contesting against the former PM from Lucknow in 2004. Defending former PM Indira Gandhi’s killers or Harshad Mehta or Ketan Parekh are also his notable decisions. The four-minute song titled Tanha, which is part of the album by the same name, will feature Jethmalani as an old and lonely bachelor, who is constantly haunted by memories of a young girl who left him heartbroken many years ago.
The young woman is played by New York-based actor Zarine Ali, a descendant of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who has acted in some southern films. She has even ventured into Bollywood, with her first Hindi film, says Mohammad Raj Khan, actor and producer of the music album.
It wasn’t difficult to convince "uncle", says Khan, referring to Jethmalani, who he claims is a family friend for years. "He was very happy about the role, and was extremely nice during the shooting in and around Mumbai," Khan elaborated.
When asked how the idea struck him, Khan said he has known "uncle" to have an "ashiqana (romantic)" side to him, which many people are not aware of.