Fatima Sana Shaikh gearing up for remake of this Tamil superhit film

Fatima Sana Shaikh

After Karan Johar's Ajeeb Daastaans, another big-ticket film has landed in Fatima Sana Shaikh's kitty. The actor has been roped in to play the central character in the Hindi adaptation of the Tamil smash hit, Aruvi (2017). While the original featuring Aditi Balan was helmed by Arun Prabhu Purushothaman, the directorial baton has been handed to Eshwar Nivas for the remake backed by Applause Entertainment and Viki Rajani's Faith Films.

The Tamil film, widely praised on its release, reflected on the misogynistic ways of society through the journey of the protagonist who is disowned by her family and tries to build a life anew in Chennai. If the satire shone because of its script, it was also elevated by Balan's brave performance as a woman whose rage against society finds an unlikely outlet on a reality show. Shaikh admits she is excited and nervous in equal measure as she gears up to shoulder the movie. "I am thrilled to do the Aruvi remake, and am looking forward to diving deep into the character. I am glad that [the two studios] have come together with E Nivas to make this content."

A still from Aruvi

The production team is zeroing in on the principal cast before the film goes on floors mid-2021. Producer Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment, says the movie is another attempt by the studio to bring strong feminine voices to the fore. "Equally funny and ferocious, Aruvi is a feminist social satire that stunned us when we first saw it. We were drawn in by its unconventional narrative, deftly balancing its black comedy leanings with the beats of a taut thriller," he says.

Sameer Nair, Viki Rajani and E Niwas