TO BE OR NOT TO BE SONIA GANDHI IS A TOUGH CHOICE
Noyon Jyoti Parasara

Daily News & Analysis, India
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 05:50 IST

When Monica Belucci failed, can a little-known Susanne finally make it?

Seems impossible. But debutant director Sajid Ali is keeping his
fingers crossed. We are talking about a film on the life and times
of Sonia Gandhi. Again.

"I have been an admirer of the Gandhi family and particularly of
Sonia Gandhi. She has gone through lots in her life," says Sajid,
who will also produce the movie.

There were several announcements made in the past about films being
made on the first family of Indian politics. But our Congress netas
got so touchy about them that not a single one of them were permitted
to be canned. On top of that there’s the Indian Constitution, which
says that nobody can make a film on somebody else’s life without a
written permission.

The list of failed attempts to can a film on Sonia Gandhi include TD
Kumar who finished canning the movie on Madam Gandhi but was never
allowed to screen it.

Even critically acclaimed Hollywood filmmaker Jagmohan Mundra had once
announced a movie on Sonia Gandhi, but that too never materialised.

"All that happened because nobody took prior permission to make such
a film," says KA Jauhar, the spokesperson and publicist for the film.

But that has not deterred Sajid Ali from trying his luck. May be that
is why Sajid’s debut effort carries a very "safe" title, ‘Sonia the
Great Lady’.

"We are in talks with people from Soniaji’s office for the
permission. We are positive about it as we have nothing against her
in the film," says Sajid.

Sajid’s film is expected to focus Sonia Gandhi’s life right from her
days as a waitress at Cambridge. The film is expected to go on floors
by October, this year.

"The role of Soniaji will be played by an Armenian girl named
Susanne. Vishal Pande, a theatre actor will play Rajiv Gandhi as
he looks similar to him," adds Sajid. The majority of the cast is
expected to be filled in by debutante actors.

"A girl from Delhi called Neha Taneja will play Priyanka Gandhi,"
said Jauhar. Music composers Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen have already been
roped in and are busy scoring the tracks.