Photographer-turned-producer Shareen Mantri Kedia, who bankrolled Majid Majid’s debut venture out of India titled Beyond The Clouds, has acquired the rights to make a biopic on erstwhile bandit queen Phoolan Devi.
While Shekhar Kapur had already directed a film on the dacoit from the Chambal ravine in 1994 — The Bandit Queen herself raised questions about the accuracy of the film and sought for it to be banned in India. The film was banned and eventually released after a prolonged court case.
“Shareen has taken over the rights, which has been confirmed and ratified by Phoolan Devi’s husband Umed Singh, brother Shiv Narain, and the Phoolan Devi Charitable Trust. The project is being registered as a web as well as a film,” a trade source revealed.
While Seema Biswas gave a memorable performance in the 1994 film, the actress to essay the dacoit in Kedia’s version has not been finalised.
Some other films on female dacoits include Wounded on Seema Parihar starring the dacoit herself, Shabri starring Isha Koppikar, Shabana Azmi as Santokben Jadeja in Godmother and Dimple Kapadia in Zakhmee Aurat.
—Sanskriti Media
