'The Spectacular Jihad...' inspired by 9/11 attacks

Film director Raghav Murali's forthcoming film "The Spectacular Jihad of Taz Rahim" has drawn its inspiration from the 9/11 attacks.

The film tells the story of Taz (Rahsaan), a rapper who is blackmailed to become an undercover agent by the New York Police Department (NYPD). It is loosely inspired by real-life incidents of NYPD, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency's use of Muslim informants.

"When we first began to work on the film, our research was really shocking yet intriguing. As we delved further we learnt so much of this practice of hiring of Muslim informants, especially given the fact that so much was said of discrimination against people of Muslim origin people after these attacks," Murali said in a statement.

"The police would hire such men and use them to scheme better information. The movie tries to capture this reality with a touch of humour and touches upon this very interesting side to a story said in so many other ways," added the director.

The forthcoming unconventional Indo-American film features Monica Dogra and Rahsaan Islam. "The Spectacular Jihad of Taz Rahim" was premiered in Los Angeles on April 15 and is slated to hit the Indian screens on June 26.