After being on the hunt for months, director Vijay has finally found the actress to play the lead role in Thalaivi, biopic of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The filmmaker had knocked the doors of some of the big names from the Bollywood and South. In the end, Kangana Ranaut has bagged the multilingual film.
Was Kangana the first choice to be on-screen Jaya?
Kangana Ranaut was not only the actress who was approached by the makers to play the title role. They had a dozen names in mind and approached handful of actresses. Notably, Vidya Balan was reportedly interested to do the character and had done a look test. Unfortunately, the actress could not take up the film for the reasons best known to her.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was also approached, but the deal did not take place. And rumours were rife that Deepika Padukone and Tabu were the other Bollywood heroines whose doors were knocked by the makers. The offer had also gone to a few South India's leading names that include Nayanthara. All the actresses rejected the offer for one or the other reason, say reports.
Finally, the movie fell into the laps of Kangana Ranaut. "Jayalalithaa madam was one of the most prominent leaders of our country. Making a film on her life is a big responsibility and we are going to do it with utmost care and honesty. Am proud and happy with our association with one of India's biggest star and the very talented Kangana Ranaut Ji to portray the dynamic role of our very Dynamic leader," director said.
Incidentally, many renowned actresses from South had expressed their desire to work in Amma's biopic and Ramya Krishnan was one among them.
SS Rajamouli's father KV Vijayendra Prasad has penned the story for the upcoming film, bankrolled by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Shaailesh R Singh on the banner of Vibri & Karma Media and Entertainment.
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is the only public figure in India on whom multiple biopics are being made/planned and all the films are in the making. If it is not enough, a TV series is also on cards.
Bharathiraja, Adithya Bharadwaj and late Dasari Narayana Rao had also announced biopics on the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. However, Vijay's Thalaivi and Priyadarshini's The Iron Lady starring Nithya Menen have made some serious progress.
