It's always a mixed feeling to hear that your favourite book is being made into a movie. Often times, it leads to some sort of perplexity in you, given your inclination towards the particular book. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than watching your “dearest" book ripped to shreds on the big screen. However, there is still the excitement of seeing how the exact storyline would come out in an altogether different medium.
Over the years, the world of books is getting bigger and bigger and finding its space in the universe of cinema. While Hollywood has been continuously, if not consistently, trying to master the art by bringing some brilliant books to life through incredible on-screen adaptations in some of the all-time great films like To Kill a Mocking Bird, Gone With the Wind, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Godfather, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and more recently Call Me By Your Name and Ready Player One among others, Bollywood only appears to be struggling with the challenge as barring a few: R.K. Narayan’s 'Guide', Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 'Devdas', Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Haider) and Othello (Omkara) as well as Chetan Bhagat-based '3 Idiots' and '2 States'), none of the film adaptations lived up to the novels they were based on, and were profoundly unimpressive.
Having said that, despite getting an under-whelming response from the audience, the trend somehow seems to have managed to catch the eye of the Hindi filmmakers, with everyone who's anyone in the industry taking on the challenge like never before. We have rounded up a few book-to-screen stories that we’re most looking forward to.
Raazi
Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Raazi is based on Harinder Sikka’s novel, Calling Sehmat, which explores the social complexities during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. Starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in the lead roles, the film is a complicated tale of love, betrayal, and patriotism. Bhatt will be seen in the role of a Kashmiri spy who is married to a Pakistani army officer, played by Kaushal. The film is scheduled to release on May 11.
Thugs of Hindostan
Touted as one of the biggest films of 2018, Thugs of Hindostan is an adaptation of the 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug. Helmed by Dhoom 3 director Vijay Krishna Acharya, the film marks the first-ever collaboration between Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. Also featuring Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Sheikh, the YRF project promises a lot of action. The film will release during Diwali 2018.
Fault in Our Stars
Based on John Green’s novel of the same name, a Hindi remake of Josh Boone’s English language film Fault in Our Stars will see Sushant Singh Rajput opposite debutante Sanjana Sanghi. To be helmed by casting director Mukesh Chhabra, the film traces the life of a young girl suffering from cancer, who subsequently meets a boy at a support group and falls in love with him. The shoot is expected to begin by mid-2018.
The Accidental Prime Minister
Starring Anupam Kher, The Accidental Prime Minister is an adaptation of Sanjay Baru’s book of the same name on former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s time in office. The film will be helmed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte. Recently, Kher unveiled his first look from the film and looked uncannily similar to Mr. Singh.
The Zoya Factor
The Zoya Factor is based on author Anuja Chauhan’s celebrated novel of the same name. The film will see the super fresh pairing of Sonam Kapoor and much-loved South Indian actor Dulquer Salmaan. The Zoya Factor is about a Rajput girl named Zoya Singh Solanki (Sonam) who gets an opportunity to meet the Indian cricket team through her job and ends up becoming a lucky charm for the team in the 2010 World Cup. Dulquer will play the role of Nikhil Khoda, the Indian skipper Zoya falls for. The film, to be directed by Abhishek Sharma, will release next year in April.
Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister
An adaptation of author-journalist Sagarika Ghose’s book, Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister will see National award-winning actor Vidya Balan play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, it is not yet clear whether the project will be a movie or a web series. The book explores various aspects of Gandhi’s life - from her failed marriage, her relationship with her youngest son Sanjay Gandhi to possible reasons behind the 1975 Emergency.
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