20201211 Fatima Sana Shaikh
Bollywood actress Fatima Sana Shaikh Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

Bollywood actress Fatima Sana Shaikh is set to star in the Hindi adaptation of the 2017 Tamil hit film ‘Aruvi’.

Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the news on Instagram.

He wrote, “FATIMA SANA SHAIKH IN #TAMIL REMAKE ... #FatimaSanaShaikh to star in #Hindi adaptation of #Tamil film #Aruvi ... Directed by E Niwas ... The film — not titled yet — is produced by Applause Entertainment and Faith Films [Viki Rajani] ... Filming begins mid-2021.”

The film will be helmed by filmmaker E Niwas, who is a recipient of the Indian National Film award for ‘Shool’ (1999). The upcoming movie will see Shaikh portraying the fiery, eponymous character made memorable by Aditi Balan in the Tamil original.

Speaking about the forthcoming movie, Shaikh said, “I am so thrilled to do the remake of ‘Aruvi’ and really looking forward to diving deep into the skin of the character. I am really glad that Applause Entertainment and Faith Films have come together with E Niwas to make this great content and I am really excited to embark on this journey.”

E Niwas also commented on the film and said, “‘Aruvi’ is not just a story of a hero. It’s a triumph over the labyrinths of life. It’s totally euphoric and a privilege to explore one of the most beautiful cinematic characters I have come across. Fatima Sana Shaikh is an absolutely befitting choice, and I am super excited to collaborate with Applause Entertainment and Faith Films.”

‘Aruvi’, which released in 2017, garnered huge critical acclaim and went on to become a massive box office success. The social satire also went on to widely travel across prestigious film festivals, winning accolades and cult status along the way. Lauded by viewers and critics alike, ‘Aruvi’ was the rare commercial entertainer that also held a mirror to society, with its sparkling commentary on consumerism and misogyny, among other prevalent issues.

As a character, Aruvi was heralded as a progressive, postmodern symbol of feminism, and her radical journey through the film was a spellbinding, sucker punch to the gut. The film followed the story of Aruvi, a middle-class girl, who was thrown out of her house after her family accused her of having brought shame on them. Later, as she tries to survive on her own, she must overcome several challenges.