Acclaimed director Mahesh Bhatt is going to adapt Srijit Mukherji’s Bengali film Rajkahini in Hindi with Vidya Balan cast as the protagonist.
The National Award-wining director has titled the Bollywood launch of Rajkahini as Begum Jaan, where Vidya Balan will be playing the feisty character of the madam of the brothel, a role played by Rituparna Sengupta in the original.
“The re-worked adaptation will see Vidya in the most challenging role of her career. Srijit is by far the most talented filmmaker I have known,” Bhatt told the Mirror.
Set to roll in June, the film follows the after effects of the 1947 partition of Bengal, delving into the lives of 11 women living in a brothel that finds itself divided by the newly-chalked LOC, with half of the house now in India and the other half in Pakistan.
“Like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil in their classic films, and my daughter Alia Bhatt in Highway, Rajkahini has one of the greatest performances by a woman – Rituparna Sengupta. The premise is thrilling and moved me to the core. The Hindi film will feature eight actresses, but will be ruled by Vidya,” says Bhatt.
Vidya admitted to having watched the film and thoroughly enjoying the period drama.
“It’s a powerful and moving film. Rituparna is wonderful and so is the rest of the cast. It’s easily one of the most interesting scripts I have got so far,” she asserts.
