Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is riding high on the success of Tanu Weds Manu Returns, is perfect to play warrior Rani Laxmibai (Queen Laxmibai) in his upcoming biopic, says director Ketan Mehta.
“[Kangana] is on board. She has liked the script. It’s a role of a lifetime. She is at the top now. She is doing good work. I think she is best for the film,” Mehta said.
To get into the skin of her character, Ranaut will undergo training in horse-riding and sword-fighting. Talking about the project, Mehta said: “Rani Laxmibai is one of the most fascinating women I have come across in terms of what she has done in her life. I enjoy making biopics.
“It is a great platform to say stories of those people who have done great work. It has been a challenge to write this biopic but these are good challenges. I am very excited to start working on it,” Mehta said.
Mehta is returning to the pre-independence era following his biopic on Mangal Pandey in 2005, which starred Aamir Khan.
Laxmibai, an Indian hero, was one of the leading figures of Indian resistance to the British rule.
There are speculations regarding the casting of the film, with English actor Hugh Grant’s name cropping up in some reports. Mehta, however, is tight-lipped on the subject.
“The process of casting is on and we will be making an announcement soon,” Mehta said.
The director, known for films Mirch Masala, Maya Memsaab and Rang Rasiya, said the biopic will go into production next year.
