Pre-production work on film 'Sonia' in full swing: Mundhra

Mumbai, Apr 9 (UNI) Pre-production work on the movie 'Sonia', based on the life of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is in full swing and the filming of the ambitious project is likely to be completed by the end of this year.

Talking to UNI, filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra, the film's director said, ''Location scouting at Cambridge, Italy and New Delhi has already been completed and work on wardrobe and designing of the sets for the period spanning 1964-2004 is being done.'' ''We have had four re-writes on the script. The last one was based on the feedback from Italian actress Monica Bellucci. She is not available till August. Monica is our first choice as of now. Who knows we can get a better-suited actress during that period. She has the script and the book. Her agent is working out the details with the producer,'' he said.

Since the project will be an epic based on history, the production team is going all out to ensure that factual details are emcompassed in the script. ''It is a responsible and big project and is going to take time,'' added Mundhra.

The director said submissions from actors in US, UK and India have been received for different characters in the film. ''For one character, we have submissions of at least 100 actors. Once they are shortlisted, they will be flown to London for make-up and wardrobe test and full-fledged audition. Care will be taken to have the right people for the right role'', he informed.

Mr Mundhra admits he was quite clear about wanting an Italian actress to play the title role which covers the timespan of 1964-2004.

The film's story covers all aspects of Mrs Gandhi's life right from her decision to leave Italy for England where she went to learn English at a language school in Cambridge, her romance with a young man who turned out to be the son of a Prime Minister, her father's objection to her love affair, the love story of Rajiv and Sonia culminating into their marriage and her shifting to India in 1968, her intense dislike for politics and desire to preserve her privacy and her family's, the hand of destiny pushing her in a direction where she was most reluctant to go, three deaths which changed the course of her life, and her decision to stay in India even after her husband's death and remain aloof from politics for seven long years, when destiny played its hand again and finally, to the point where Mrs Gandhi had to pick up the gauntlet and rise to the challenge.

''I see my film as an intimate epic, a human story of love because Mrs Gandhi came to India for the love of a man and stayed for the love of its people. The film is a British-produced film based on a book by journalist Rashid Kidwai whose rights have been properly and legally acquired,'' he said.

When asked whether he feared a political controversy, Mr Mundhra said, ''If any political controversy's created, it will be by those who want to get publicity for themselves by getting into the limelight for their own agendas.'' UNI MR KU PK BD1526