Bollywood to unfurl Bond's 'Blue Umbrella'

One of Ruskin Bond's best known stories, The Blue Umbrella, is now being made into a big budget Bollywood film by director Vishal Bharadwaj.

The film is titled Chatri Chor. Bharadwaj, whose earlier films include superhits like Makdee and Maqbool, will shoot the film in 21 days in Dalhousie in October and then again for six days in January when the hill station experiences heavy snowfall.

First published in 1975, the story revolves around a little girl's dreams and her love for a blue umbrella which everyone in her village wants to possess.

The film will star five children who have been nominated by NGOs in Delhi besides critically acclaimed actor Pankaj Kapur, who earlier worked with Bharadwaj in Maqbool.

Bond said, "The Blue Umbrella has been a very popular book and was one of my early children's books. It was first published in England in 1975 after which Rupa bought its rights and published it in India. It is the story of the conflict between good and evil and revolves around a 12-year-old girl who desires to possess a blue coloured umbrella.

"The film also focuses on a village shopkeeper who covets the umbrella and steals it from the girl. In the end, the girl gives away the umbrella to the shop keeper, thereby reforming him. It is not a fantasy story but has deep philosophical connotations.

"I am happy that Mr Bharadwaj is making a film on it. His earlier film Makdee was loved by children. He came to Mussourie two months ago to show me his final script. He has already bought the film rights to the story from my publisher".

Bharadwaj said, "I was fascinated by the story from the moment I read it. It stayed with me. And now, after the dark Maqbool, I needed to do something again with children like Makdee. The film will show fresh faces. These children are fantastic actors. I believe they will do a better job than professional actors." Pankaj Kapur will play the role of the village shopkeeper.

- The Asian Age