Over a decade since late filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra's Bawandar, another film on Bhanwari Devi is being made, this time by a team of people who were earlier associated with Ekta Kapoor's TV production house.
Sexually assulted by a group of men in 1992, the woman from Rajasthan recently made news again when a CD was released showing the involvement of a local politico.
The makers are considering five actresses to play Bhanwari — Mallika Sherawat, Priyanka Chopra, Bipasha Basu, Kangna Ranaut and Jacqueline Fernandez. Filmmaker Nikhil Tonk on why he wants to cast one of these ladies...
Bipasha Basu
She is very charismatic.
Mallika Sherawat
She's a smart woman to play a smart person like Bhanwari. People will come to watch her. She is camera friendly and will do justice to the part.
Jacqueline Fernandez
I saw Housefull 2 five times to understand her psyche as an actress and gauge her potential.
Kangna Ranaut
Her body language and the way she talks makes her a good candidate for the role.
Priyanka Chopra
After seeing her in 7 Khoon Maaf, I know she can play the character with conviction. She's done intense movies and roles and is open to experimental movies.
Why another film on Bhanwari?
Nikhil Tonk explains, "Jagmohan Mundhra's film was about the assault case. That was only half the journey. According to her family and news reports, she was killed.
However, the CBI chargesheet contests that she's alive and outside the country. Our film will show her true side. While the first half will be about how people fooled and used her, the second part will focus on her revenge."
Interestingly, Tonk is keen to rope in Emraan Hashmi to play the privotal role of a cop. "I want to bring Emraan and Mallika together after Murder, " says the producer, adding that his next choice for the role is Randeep Hooda.
