Manisha Koirala is all set to return to the silver screen with Sanjay Dutt’s biopic, in which she will be seen portraying Sanjay’s late mother Nargis Dutt. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay, Dia Mirza as his wife Maanayata, and Sonam Kapoor as Sanjay’s first wife Richa.
Talking to DNA about her experience of working with Sanjay in the past, Manisha said, “I’ve worked with Sanjay in a number of films, most of them forgettable (laughs).” She continued, “Hopefully, this time I will create some magic with Ranbir. I am a big admirer of his work. I’ve seen his rushes as Sanjay. No actor of his generation has the same passion to excel, to make every character real and memorable. I’ve been waiting to get to work with Ranbir. Now, I finally have that opportunity.”
(Also read: Ranbir to not use prosthetics to transform his body for the Sanjay Dutt biopic) When asked if she connects to the character as Nargis too like her, was diagnosed with cancer, Manisha said, “I don’t think Raju (Hirani) offered me the role just because I went through the same illness. That is no qualification. The fact that Raju saw me worthy of playing Nargisji means a lot to me.”
When DNA further asked Manisha about playing a mother to a 30-year-old actor on-screen, the actress added, “Don’t forget, I played Nana Patekar’s wife and daughter during the same year in ‘Agni Sakshi’ and ‘Khamoshi’. I’m over 40, and am still too young to play the conventional mother, the kind who says, ‘Beta mere liye ek bahu laa de’ or the vampish mother-in-law in serials.”
“Luckily, roles for women my age are now being written. I am comfortable with my age and the work that I’m getting. Really, it can’t get any better than playing Nargis Dutt in a film directed by the one-and-only Raj Kumar Hirani. I am honoured,” added Manisha.
Produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film is scheduled to release in the latter half of 2017.
(Also read: Sanjay Dutt and Ranbir Kapoor bond over lunch)