Veena in the remake of The Dirty Picture

Pakistani queen of controversy Veena Malik will start shooting for the film on May 12.

After Bollywood actor Vidya Balan, it’s now Veena Malik’s turn to get dirty. The Pakistani actor has signed the South remake of the blockbuster hit, The Dirty Picture, as the female lead, reports Hindustan Times.

“I don’t mind being titled as South’s Vidya Balan,” said Malik, who is currently shooting for the film, Supermodel, with actor Ashmit Patel in Fiji and Australia. Producer Venkatappa has signed on Malik to essay the role of Silk Smitha in his film titled Dirty Picture: Silk Sakkath Maga. To be directed by Trishul and starring Venkatappa’s son Akshay in the lead, the film aims to be a more realistic take on the life of the late actor, claims Times of India.

When asked if the producer has procured the remake rights from Ekta Kapoor, he said, “There’s no question of acquiring any rights. When The Dirty Picture was made, the makers claimed that the film was not about Silk Smitha, but we all know it is. Ekta did not get the rights to make a film on Silk from the late actor’s family. So why should I pay her to make a film on Silk, when we can have a better take on the subject. I want to make a better film than The Dirty Picture,” says Venkatappa.

The film, he adds, will be high on glamour and the producer claims to have approached Tamil actors Nikitha Thukral, Charmme and Pooja Gandhi for the role. “But they all refused fearing that the film would be too bold,” he says. That is when Malik was approached. “When we spoke to her, even before discussing her remuneration, Veena asked for the script. After reading it, she claimed that she was moved by the climax and immediately agreed to do the film,” says the producer.

Meanwhile, Malik admitted that she was so moved by the strong script that she couldn’t say no. “I fell in love with the role. It is a female-centric film and a powerful role to make a debut in South Indian Cinema,” said Malik, adding that her upcoming Bollywood films — Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai, Zindagi 50-50 and Mumbai 125 km — are all female-centric movies.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2012.