Vishal Bhardwaj’s trilogy of films based on William Shakespeare’s plays, ‘Maqbool‘ (‘Macbeth’), ‘Omkara’ (‘Othello’) and ‘Haider‘ (‘Hamlet’), have won plenty of critical acclaims. That’s not all; they have also earned him the tag of being one of the foremost creative minds, adept at making Shakespeare thrive with contemporary India as the backdrop.
His master storytelling helps him re-imagine Shakespearean plots and characters in an Indian context with such attention to detail and nuance that it has prompted several universities to make his movies a part of their curriculum. He now wants to make a trilogy on Shakespearean comedies and aims to start with the play ‘Twelfth Night’. The film will be called ‘Chaudhvin Ki Raat’. In an exclusive conversation with BT, Vishal said, ‘When I wanted adapt it to a more contemporary and Indian setting, I decided to call it ‘Chaudhvin Ki Raat’ because this night has a huge significance in the Indian context, as the moon is at its most beautiful’.
Who does he have in mind to play the roles of the twins, Viola and Sebastian? He replies, “it will be a big challenge to find an actress who can enact the roles of the twin brother and sister in the play. Cate Blanchett essayed the role of Bob Dylan in the film, I’m Not There. She was very convincing in her role and since then, I have wanted to find an Indian Cate Blanchett. Now, that’s going to be fun. I think that this will be a first in Indian cinema where a girl will play the role of twins, that of a boy and a girl.”
The play’s first line is, ‘If music be the food of love, play on.’
