Afghan Army officer turns to Hindi films

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Afghanistan under the Taliban’s regime.

“I passed out of IMA with the 149th Regular Course in December2021aftertrainingfor one-and-a-halfyears. Iwaspartof the Poonch Company in the Cariappa Battalion. Then President of India Ram Nath Kovindwasthereviewingofficer of the parade,” Amani told The Indian Express on Thursday in Amritsar, wherehewasshooting for a small role as a British officer in an upcoming series on Jallianwalabaghbydirectorram Madhvani.

Amani did a Journalism degree from Al Beroni University in Afghanistan’s Golbahar before joining IMA. Following his IMA training, he was commissioned into the Afghan Army infantry as alieutenant.

Afterfindingoutaboutthesituation in Afghanistan and learning that the Indian Army has no policy for inducting Afghans trained by it, Amani enrolled in Lovely Professional University in Jalandharforaone-yearcoursein Digitalmarketing.

Now, helivesinmalviyanagar in New Delhi. He has no permanentjob, andmakesalivingbydoing odd jobs including small actingroles.“ialsoactedinanakshay Kumar movie in July. I played a Britishofficerinthat, too. Afriend of mine got me these roles,” he said.

“The biggest problem that I and other Afghan Army officers trained in IMA and OTA face in getting jobs is the lack of bonafides. Ourvisashaveexpired, the Afghan embassy has shut down, andwehavenoindianpaperwork to prove our identity. This causes a lot of problems,” Amanisaid.

His IMA coursemates in the Indianarmyarenowabouttobecome Captains and are posted in variouspartsof thecountry.

Inanefforttogeta“respectful job”, hehasrequestedthehelpof Colonel Bhupinder Shahi (retd), themilitaryconsultantfortheseriesbeingshotinamritsar.

“My family is in Afghanistan. My father has passed away, but my mother, two brothers and a sister live there,” Amani said. However, he does not wish to return as of now due to the conditionsinhiscountry.

Colonelshahisaidtherewere many such Afghan Army officers in India desperately looking for jobs.“theymustbehelpedtofind gainfulemployment. Theyarenot onlytrainedsoldiers, butalsoofficerswhocanleadtroops,” hesaid.

Fornow, dressedinkhakishirt and shorts with a replica rifle in hishands, theclosesthecomesto realising his dream of serving in the Army is by playing British officersinsmallactingroles.