Vidya Balan to play former PM Indira Gandhi in screen adaption of Sagarika Ghose's book

Acclaimed actress Vidya Balan will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi onscreen in a project based on journalist-author Sagarika Ghose’s book Indira: India’s 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 9 January.

Vidya Balan to play Indira Gandhi in adaptation of Sagarika Ghose’s biography https://t.co/rdGPsfJQjJ via @TheReel_in

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) January 10, 2018

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.