Vidya Balan to play Indira Gandhi on screen

Mumbai Jan 10 (IANS) Acclaimed actress Vidya Balan will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi onscreen in a project based on journalist-author Sagarika Ghoses book "Indira: Indias 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 " Vidya a National Award winner said in a statement on Tuesday.

Ghose elated about signing the contract wrote: "Most excited to see Indira on-screen!"

She also called Vidya 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.

--IANS
rb/sar/dg