Mahesh Bhatt to Direct Benazir Bhuto Biopic
Bollywood Filmmaker to Tell the Life story of the Assassinated Pakistani Leader
Jun 14, 2009
Skies Unlimited have confirmed that they will be collaborating with Mahesh Bhatt but they have not officially named him to be the director - though rumor has it that Mahesh Bhatt will be directing the film. Bhatt is well known for depicting real life in reel. It has been said that the film Arth was based on his real life affair with eighties sex symbol Parveen Babi. The last time Bhatt sat on the director's chair was for the 1998 released Zakhm which was based on his mothers life experiences as a Muslim woman married to a Hindu man.
The Ingredients of a Great Film Epic are all There.
Penned by distinguished Pakistani writer and poet Aqeel Ahmad Ruby the Bhuto film will focus on the leaders political career that eventually lead to her assassination in December 2007.
Bhutto was the world's first Muslim woman Prime Minister. She was removed from office within two years for corruption charges. It has also been reported that during her time in office Bhutto gave nuclear secrets to North Korea.
Despite the corruption charges she was re-elected in 1993 but was removed again three years later. In 1998 she went in to exile and returned to Pakistan almost 10 years later as the leading opposition candidate in the 2008 Pakistani general election.
Even Bhutto's assassination was surrounded by controversy. It was first reported that she died in a suicide attack during a political rally. Later the Times of India aired an amateur clip showing an assassin firing several gun shots at her before the blast.
Who Will Play the Shahzadi?
The word on the grapevine is Mahesh Bhatt wants his favourite actress Shabana Azmi to play the lead role. Mahesh Bhatt and Shabana Azmi go back a long way. Bhatt directed Azmi in the 1982 film Arth for which she won her second Indian National Film Award for best actress.
Shabani Azmi is no stranger in playing roles of powerful women. In the film Godmother she gave a great performance playing the role of a woman who after the death of her husband takes control of his dynasty. For this role Shabana Azmi won her 5th Indian National Film award for best actress.
Bhatt wanted the film to be scripted based on Bhuto's autobiography. Last year Hindustan Times reported that Bhuto's husband Asif Ali Zardari the current Prime Minister of Pakistan would not sign a contract allowing for the film to be based on Bhuto's autobiography Daughter of the East.
The film is currently in its pre-production phase, a release date is yet to be finalized.
