Trivia for
Kabul Express (2006) More at IMDb Pro »

• John Abraham reportedly feel ill during the shooting of this film in Afghanistan and was rushed to the same hospital (Nanvati Hospital, Mumbai) as Amitabh Bachchan and two were neighbors for a few days.
  
  
• The first feature film to be shot extensively in Kabul, Afghanistan, after the end of the Taliban's reign. The producers thought director 'Kabir Khan' was mad to shoot a film in such a place. However, Khan, a former war correspondent, insisted on doing so on the grounds that Kabul was a major element and character in the film; that he himself had been to Afghanistan no less than ten times and came back in one piece every time; that he had a soft spot for the country, having shot his first film in it; and that he would be betraying all his Afghan friends who had helped him during his trips to their country not to shoot such a film in their own land.
  
  
• For authenticity and realism, all the actors in the film were cast according to their nationality.
  
  

• The cast and crew were sent death threats by the Taliban to force them to stop shooting, but the Afghan government provided tight security to enable filming to be done safely. Some days, there would be more armed soldiers than cast and crew on location for a shoot.
  
  
• Inspired by director 'Kabir Khan''s experiences and encounters in Afghanistan with Taliban prisoners.
  
  
• In the Afghan film industry, actor Rasool Eman is known to play heroic roles and Baraki has always been a villain in films. Director 'Kabir Khan' gave them cameo roles in the film as Northern Alliance "mujahedin" (soldier), in which Baraki plays a senior officer, who slaps a junior officer (played by Eman). Eman was not pleased by such an arrangement and threatened Baraki that "wait until the next Afghan film we do together, I will beat the s*** out of you...!"
  
  
• For authenticity, real mujahedin were used in the film. One of them was supposed to play a bandit, but due to a mistake in communication he discovered this on his second (and final) day of shooting, and refused to portray a bandit. Since half the mujahedin's scenes had already been shot, the crew were in a crisis, until Afghan producer Azim Jaan convinced the mujahedin to go complete the shoot. However, the mujahedin took Jaan aside afterwards and told him, "I am seeing this film when it releases, and if I discover I'm portraying a bandit, I will track you down and shoot you." To this day Jaan begs 'Kabir Khan' to remove the bandit's scenes from the film.
  
  
• In one scene, a donkey was needed, so 'Kabir Khan' asked his production assistant Sultan to find a donkey that can understand Urdu. It was meant as a prank, but Sultan called him a lunatic.
  
  
• It was impossible to find any women in Afghanistan who were willing to even raise her "burka" (veil) for the crew, let alone participate in the film.
  
  
• 'Kabir Khan' got an American tourist to act in the film.
  
  
• The film had four world premieres, in Dubai, London, Pusan and Toronto, at their respective Film Festivals.
  
  
• The "buzkashi" game was the largest setup in the film, needing 25 of the best "buzkash" (horsemen) in Kabul and about 2000 spectators. A week before it was shot, the Afghan Intelligence Service was tipped off that Taliban militants were to strike at the shooting of the game. Thus, over 100 Intelligence officers were mingled into the crowd of spectators.
  
  
• One of the best "kebabchis" (kebab cook) in Afghanistan was hired to be on location throughout the shooting of the film.
  
  
• During a five-day shoot, about 125 kg of meat had been devoured.
  
  
• In December 2001, 'Kabir Khan' met famous Sufi singer Alahaj Syed Abdul Quddus in the Masjid-e-Shahdu-Shamshera mosque in Kabul. He spent three hours in the mosque, captivated by Qudus's voice. Later, when Khan completed this film's script, he wished to include Qudus's singing in the film. Qudus was more than happy to oblige, hoping he could spread "the true nature of Afghans" to the world.
  
  
• 'Kabir Khan' saw Salman Shahid in Khamosh Pani: Silent Waters (2003) and earmarked the role of Imran Khan Afridi for him.
  
  
• John Abraham asked an Afghan driver where suicide bombers came from. The driver replied, "Either from the right or the left or the front or the back... Allah can ask for you from whichever direction he chooses."
  
  

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