Vidya Balan will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on-screen in a project based on journalist-author Sagarika Ghose’s book Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister.
“I am happy to have acquired the rights to Sagarika Ghose’s Indira ..., because I have always wanted to play Indira Gandhi. I haven’t decided yet whether it should be a film or a web series, but that will take a while anyway,” Balan, an Indian National Award-winner, said in a statement.
Ghose said: “Most excited to see Indira on-screen!”
She also called Balan an “ace”.
The book, published by Juggernaut Books, is a no-holds-barred biographical portrait that looks for answers to lingering issues: from why Indira Gandhi revoked the Emergency to her son Sanjay’s curious grip over her; and from her bad marriage and love affairs to her dangerous religious politics.
Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister was pitched by the publishers to the film and screen community at the Word to Screen Market 2017, organised by the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
