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By IndiaFM News Bureau, November 18, 2006 -
08:49 IST
Character Sketch
 John
Abraham as Suhel Khan and Arshad Warsi as Jai Kapoor
TV journalists from India in search of the ultimate
news scoop: meeting the Taliban.
Salman Shahid as Imran Khan Afridi
A soldier of the hated Taliban who needs to escape the
wrath of the Afghans and run to his country, Pakistan.
Hanif Hum Ghum as Khyber
A proud Afghan who has seen the destruction of his
country over the decades.
Linda Arsenio as Jessica Beckham
An American photojournalist ready to risk her life to
photograph the Taliban.
Synopsis
This is a thrilling story, spanning 48 hours, of five
individuals linked by hate and fear, but brought
together by fate to finally recognize each other. Five
people from different worlds, their paths are destined
to cross in a ruthless country devastated by war –
Afghanistan.
Kabul Express is set in post 9/11 (November 2001)
Afghanistan where the American bombing has destroyed
the most hated Taliban regime and the Taliban soldiers
are trying to escape to Pakistan to avoid the wrath of
the Afghans. Against this turbulent backdrop, Jai and
Suhel – two Indian Television reporters have entered
Afghanistan and their aim is to somehow get a rare
interview with a Talibani. Helping them in their
pursuit of a Talibani is their Afghan guide,
translator and driver – Khyber in his Toyota Jeep
called Kabul Express. The three of them are having
their share of adventure as they go from being
blindfolded and taken to secret hideouts in the
mountains to interview Taliban prisoners to nearly
getting trampled by horses while shooting a game of
Buzkashi (Rugby played on horses with a dead lamb).
They are saved from getting trampled by an American
photojournalist, Jessica. Despite all their attempts
the Taliban remains elusive. But unknown to them,
these hunters are being hunted down themselves...
One cold winter morning in Kabul, they get kidnapped
at gunpoint by a Taliban fugitive who wants to escape
to the Pakistani border. The kidnapper, Imran is a
Pakistani army soldier who was part of the Taliban. He
knows that as journalists, Jai and Suhel’s movements
in the country will not be questioned and posing as
their local guide, he can reach the safety of his
country. Imran knows that the Taliban were the most
hated regime in the history of Afghanistan and if
caught by the Afghans, he would be torn to pieces.
From here on begins the two-day journey from Kabul to
the volatile Afghan-Pakistan border. Jai and Suhel’s
mission becomes a nightmare as they are taken hostage
aboard the Kabul Express and made to drive across the
most dangerous country in the world. Jessica sees
their car driving away from Kabul and mistakenly
thinks that they are onto a big story. She begins to
chase them. Before she knows it Jessica gets stuck in
a bizarre situation and inadvertently, also gets taken
hostage by Imran. Along the long treacherous route
they get stopped by dangerous mercenary armed bandits,
see an angry mob kill prisoners with their bare hands,
and in a hilarious situation they even get chased by a
suicidal donkey! Political and ideological boundaries
not withstanding, all five of them are forced to act
as a team in life threatening situations. As the film
unfolds, a special relationship develops between an
Afghan, a Pakistani, two Indians and an American.
By the end of the journey Jai, Suhel and Jessica
actually help Imran reach the border of Pakistan – his
country that he is very proud and patriotic about. But
the turbulent political situation at that time has a
surprise in store for all of them.
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