by Subhash K Jha

Prolific international producer Dr J. Murli Manohar has big plans for his latest film Provoked, the true-life bio-pic on battered wife Jasmeet Ahluwalia featuring Aishwarya Rai in the lead, will be premiered at the Cannes film festival this May.

"We have big plans for the film," revealed the producer from London. "Provoked has been bought for distribution by an independent American company Lee Daniels Entertainment who distributed Monster's Ball the film that got Halle Berry the Oscar.

In fact there're some striking similarities between the two housewives played by Rai and Berry. Both are about the struggle for survival with dignity. My director Jagmohan Mundra and I are hoping for a similar impact for Provoked in the West."

Along with Provoked Dr Manohar also premiers at Cannes his production of Infinite Justice, the film about the terrorist assassination of American journalist Daniel Pearl. "So it's two true bio-pics for us at Cannes this year."

Next, the producer will go into Lady Godiva, a period bio-drama with Charlie Chaplin's grand-daughter Kiera Chaplin in the title role. The film will be directed by Baz Taylor.

Back home Dr Manohar will now produce a lavish Kannada film. "I've made several Tamil films. But never a Kannada film."

He plans to remake one of his Tamil hits Jodi into Kannada with the on-the-rise Dhyaan in the lead. "I've the music rights for A.R Rahman's score in Priyadarshan's Doli Sajaa Ke Rakhna. I've already taken Rahman's permission to use it in the Kannada film."