Vidya Balan is set to play the lead role in a biopic on the mathematical wizard, Shakuntala Devi. Set for summer 2020 release, the film will be directed by Anu Menon and produced by Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment.
One of India’s foremost content creators, Abundantia Entertainment, announced that it is producing this film and Vidya Balan will play the lead role.
A thrilled Vidya said, "I am extremely excited to play the human computer, Shakuntala Devi, on the big screen. She was truly someone who embraced her individuality, had a strong feminist voice and braved many a naysayer to reach the pinnacle of success. But what truly fascinates me is that you wouldn’t normally associate a fun person with Math... and she completely turns that perception on its head. I am thrilled that Vikram, who I’ve worked with on Kahaani, and his team are producing the film. Vikram (Malhotra), Anu (Menon) and I are proud to bring to life the story of one of the most inspiring women of this country. How incredible that ‘The Math Genius’, ‘The Human Computer’, was a small-town Indian girl, who took the world by storm.”
The film will be helmed by Anu who directed London, Paris, New York and the much-talked about Amazon Prime Original, Four More Shots Please! She expresses her delight about making this film and shares, “Shakuntala Devi was an extraordinary woman, who lived ahead of her times and on her own terms, unapologetically. Her love for numbers and the passion with which she spread the joy of maths, against all odds is truly fascinating. Shakuntala is a true heroine for our times. And who else can capture the spirit of a woman like Shakuntala than the incredible Vidya Balan. We have spent months together in script development and it’s been nothing short of exhilarating. I also feel incredibly lucky to collaborate with Vikram (Malhotra) on this journey, who has helped breathe life into this project. I hope all of us together can do justice to the life of Shakuntala, who was truly one of her kind.”
Abundantia, producer of genre-breaking content like Airlift, Baby, Toilet-Ek Prem Katha and the Original Series Breathe, is currently developing the film for the big screen. Anu has written the story along with Nayanika Mahtani and the dialogue will be penned by Ishita Moitra. Scheduled to go on floors, later this year, the film is slated to be a summer 2020 release.