Farhan Akhtar pens note for ‘Ms Marvel’ team, praises show for ‘conscious inclusiveness’

By PTI

MUMBAI: Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar on Tuesday said he is proud to be associated with “Ms Marvel”, the upcoming Disney+ series which he described as a “celebration of diversity”.

Ahead of the series premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on Wednesday, Akhtar penned a note of appreciation for the makers of “Ms Marvel” congratulating them for mounting a show that promises to bring a “pride of self-identity” to several young children in the Indian subcontinent.

“Ms Marvel”, part of the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is fronted by newcomer Iman Vellani who plays Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel, a Pakistani-American teenager growing up in Jersey City.

“Tomorrow, 8th June, will see the release of the first episode of Ms Marvel on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. This post is in appreciation of the creators, the directors and all those in front and behind the camera, who collaborated to make Ms Marvel what it is. It is in appreciation of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy for her guidance through my days of working on it,” the multi-hyphenate personality wrote.

“Bad Boys for Life” helmers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a two-time Oscar winner in the documentary short category, and Meera Menon, who has worked on shows like “The Walking Dead”, have directed the episodes of the series.

“Ms Marvel” marks the Hollywood debut for Akhtar, known for starring in films like “Rock On”, “The Sky is Pink” and for directing features like “Don” and “Dil Chahta Hai”. He is said to be guest-starring on the show.

Commending Marvel Studios, owned by The Walt Disney Company, for its continued push for inclusion, the actor-filmmaker said the series is a “celebration of diversity”.

“It is in appreciation of Marvel. I’m proud to be part of their conscious inclusiveness. This show is a celebration of diversity and it certainly will bring joy and pride of self-identity to millions of young girls and boys of the sub-continent,” he added.

Akhtar, 48, also gave a shout-out to Vellani and said the audience will be impressed by the debutante’s performance.

“And last but not least, it is in appreciation of the wonderfully talented Iman Vellani. Be prepared to be thoroughly entertained and effortlessly charmed by her. Thank you and good luck, Team Ms Marvel,” he added.

“Ms Marvel” also features Pakistani stars Fawad Khan, Nimra Bucha, Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, and Travina Springer.

The show will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.