In pictures: Manto's daughters attend father's biopic screening in India

Nuzhat and Nusrat were invited to special screening of Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer, 'Manto' across the border

Actor Rasika Dugal, who plays the character of Safia Manto - wife of controversial Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto, in Nandita Das hemled biopic, is hosting the late Urdu writer’s daughters in India.

Manto's daughters, Nuzhat and Nusrat are currently in India for a private screening of Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer, arranged by the makers of the film, reported Hindustan Times.

Dugal told Indian media that it is nice to finally get to meet the family. Manto has three daughters, who live in Lahore. They have been extremely involved in the entire process of this film. Nusrat and Nuzhat flew to Mumbai to watch the film at a special screening.

The actor and the film’s director Das are making sure they get to see the “Bombay” that their father loved. The two daughters will also be visiting Delhi.

PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

“It is so nice to finally get to meet the family. Nandita’s efforts have finally brought them here. It gives me great joy to show them around Bombay (now Mumbai) - the city that their parents loved,” Dugal said in a statement.

“We went to Prithvi theatre and all of us including Nawazuddin met for dinner later. So many stories were shared about Manto and Safia,” she added.

Bollywood celebrities including Rekha, Imtiaz Ali, Deepti Naval, Shabana Azmi and others also attended the screening of the film.

PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

The film is creating lot of buzz among the audience since its trailer release. The other attendants were Shaad Ali, Ila Arun, Aahana Kumra, Prateik Babbar, Ali Fazal, Rahul Bose, Isha Koppikar, Jim Sarbh, Lillete Dubey and Shaan were also at the screening.

Manto is based on the 1940’s post-Independence period of India. Besides Nawazuddin in the title character, the movie also stars Tahir Raj Bhasin as the 40’s Bollywood superstar Shyam Chadda.

The film premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and will release in Indian theatres on September 21.

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