A political casting call
Kareena Kapoor or Priyanka Chopra may play Indira Gandhi in a biopic.
Katrina Kaif may have donned cotton saris to play the role of a female politician in Raajneeti, but there’s another female actor set to outshine her. According to Indian media reports, Kareena Kapoor is reportedly being cast in a film about the life of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1984.
According to IANS, the director of the film is Krishna Shah, who is based in the US.
The film is titled Mother: The Indira Gandhi Story and Shah initially wanted to cast Vidya Balan, who has won kudos for her roles in films such as Ishqiya and Parineeta.
“Casting is very critical for the role of Indira Gandhi. As it stands today, only two actors in Bollywood are on the scanner. One is Kareena Kapoor and the other is Priyanka Chopra. Both are equally suited to play Indira Gandhi,” Shah said.
Whoever will take on the role will have to spend a lot of time in the make-up chair. According to Shah, “It takes one hour for the get-up of 20-year-old Indira Gandhi, two hours for 50-year-old Indira Gandhi and three hours for 67-year-old Indira Gandhi.”
IANS reported that Madhuri Dixit was also offered the role but refused.
The film will be made in two parts. The first will focus on Indira Gandhi’s political career till the 1971 war, and the other will show her personal life as a mother to her sons - Rajiv, who succeeded her as the prime minister after her assassination in 1984, and Sanjay Gandhi.
Several leading stars have played politicians, including Shabana Azmi (Godmother), Raveena Tandon (Satta) and Katrina Kaif (Raajneeti).
Azmi has also reportedly been cast in a film about the life of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
A number of Indian actors have also dabbled in politics, notably Hema Malini and Jaya Bachchan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2010.
According to IANS, the director of the film is Krishna Shah, who is based in the US.
The film is titled Mother: The Indira Gandhi Story and Shah initially wanted to cast Vidya Balan, who has won kudos for her roles in films such as Ishqiya and Parineeta.
“Casting is very critical for the role of Indira Gandhi. As it stands today, only two actors in Bollywood are on the scanner. One is Kareena Kapoor and the other is Priyanka Chopra. Both are equally suited to play Indira Gandhi,” Shah said.
Whoever will take on the role will have to spend a lot of time in the make-up chair. According to Shah, “It takes one hour for the get-up of 20-year-old Indira Gandhi, two hours for 50-year-old Indira Gandhi and three hours for 67-year-old Indira Gandhi.”
IANS reported that Madhuri Dixit was also offered the role but refused.
The film will be made in two parts. The first will focus on Indira Gandhi’s political career till the 1971 war, and the other will show her personal life as a mother to her sons - Rajiv, who succeeded her as the prime minister after her assassination in 1984, and Sanjay Gandhi.
Several leading stars have played politicians, including Shabana Azmi (Godmother), Raveena Tandon (Satta) and Katrina Kaif (Raajneeti).
Azmi has also reportedly been cast in a film about the life of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
A number of Indian actors have also dabbled in politics, notably Hema Malini and Jaya Bachchan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2010.