Adeel Akhtar, one of the Lions legends, has shared that he was once question by American police after arriving in New York about having connections to terrorist organizations.
When he was questioned about terrorism, actor Adeel Akhtar said he was shocked. When he traveled to New York for an audition, the Four Lions star was asked if he had any connections to any terrorist organizations.
The actor, 45, who played Rob Singham in The Night Manager’s first season, had his passport taken from him and had several hours of questioning conducted at John F Kennedy International Airport in 2002.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Adeel said: “Just before I got on the plane, some security people took my passport off me and said that I’d get it back once I arrived at JFK.
“It sort of kind of kind of taxied off into a sort of secluded part of the runway after we landed at JFK, and I then notice this convoy of cars passing through.”
These people came on the plane, and they said they would handcuff me for their own protection, and then they checked me in the airport, and then questioned me, which was a kind of scary thing because that lasted a little longer than it seemed appropriate to do. “…
He continued, “I mean, talking for four or five hours, not solid questioning, but a lot of waiting,” and that was while Guantanamo and other similar situations were taking place.
So I was aware of what they were trying to say, and I, too, kind of held my nerve and sat down and sat down, and then walked away. The actor continued with the audition after going on to say that he was shocked by what he had experienced.
Following the incident, he continued, stating that his father had unsuccessfully attempted to sue the FBI. Akhtar continued, “My dad has a sort of blind faith in the idea of doing good and the rule of law, and I saw him in an office. I just saw this really proud man not believe what he believed in for years and years.”
“I just saw him slightly beaten at that point because his expression of love was to protect me and do the right thing, and he was unable to sort of do either,” he said.
Akhtar also appeared in the crime drama Sherwood and the BBC television series Murdered By My Father, both of which earned him Bafta awards.
If cast away to a desert island, Akhtar would bring with him the eight tracks, book, and expensive item. On Sunday, January 18 at 10 a.m. on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. It will also be accessible via BBC Sounds.
Source: Mirror
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