EXCLUSIVE: Shraddha Kapoor to join Saif Ali Khan in Uzma Ahmed biopic

Shivam Nair who's planning a biopic on Uzma Ahmed has initiated talks with Shraddha Kapoor and the actor will mostly sign on the dotted line once she returns from Austria where she's shooting a song for Saaho. Apart from her, Saif Ali Khan has also green lit the same project.

By Nayandeep Rakshit

Updated on Jun 27, 2019 | 01:03 PM IST | 601K

Shraddha Kapoor to join Saif Ali Khan in Uzma Ahmed biopic

Biopics are the order of the day now. After some terrific stories that have made its way to celluloid, another interesting character will be brought to life on screen in a few months from now. Naam Shabana director Shivam Nair has been planning a biopic on Uzma Ahmed's life for over one and a half years now. A lot of idhar udhar has happened on the film.

There are three primary characters in the project - that of Uzma, Indian politician Sushma Swaraj and JP Singh, India's then Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad. Uzma's story is not just heroic but extremely emotional at the same time. Uzma fell in love with a guy called Tahir Ali, a driver from Pakistan. She traveled to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only to realise that he was already married and had four kids. It was then that she was forced to marry him on gunpoint and how she escaped from Pakistan and was brought back to India is what the biopic will entail.

While Saif Ali Khan has been locked to play the diplomat's role in the human drama, we hear Nair has also initiated talks with another A-list heroine for the main role. A source close to the filmmaker reveals, "Shivam wants to have a prominent face as Uzma. Although there were initial talks initiated with Ileana D'Cruz and Parineeti Chopra around two years ago, now, he has almost closed the deal with Shraddha Kapoor. He met Shraddha and narrated the whole story to her. She has liked it a lot and feels it will be her most powerful character till date. She has verbally given it a go ahead but the makers are meeting the actress once she's back from Austria (she's shooting a song for Saaho there). After the meeting, they will discuss the modalities."

Having Shraddha will also give them a bigger reach, adds the source, "Shraddha is an extremely popular face among the youth and since the film has a brilliant story anyway, Shivam believes this might be a turning point in Shraddha's career too. Not to mention that it will also position the film better for the producers." Now, they are looking at casting another powerful actress to essay Sushma Swaraj's role in the biopic. The film is expected to go on floors around February-March next year.