Vidya Balan is thrilled to portray the role of Shakuntala Devi on screen.Vidya Balan, who has biopics like Dirty Picture and Nandamuri Balakrishna starrer NTR biopic to her credit, has signed yet another. The actor will now essay the role of legendary mathematics wizard Shakuntala Devi who was popularly known as ‘human computer’. The film will be helmed by Four More Shots Please fame Anu Menon who also directed 2012 film London, Paris, New York.
Delighted to step into the shoes of Shakuntala Devi, Vidya said, “I am extremely excited to play the human computer, Shakuntala Devi, on the big screen. She was truly someone who embraced her individuality, had a strong feminist voice and braved many a naysayer to reach the pinnacle of success. But what truly fascinates me is that you wouldn’t normally associate a fun person with Math…and she completely turns that perception on its head.”
Shakuntala Devi had the ability to tell the day of the week of any given date in the last century in a jiffy. She made complex mental calculations as a child prodigy. Her genius was first discovered at the age of 5 when she solved a math problem for 18-year-old students. Despite having no formal training, she found her way to Guinness Book of World Record for her outstanding ability for numbers.
Talking about working with Menon and film’s producer Vikram Malhotra, Vidya added, “I am thrilled that Vikram, who I’ve worked with on Kahaani, and his team are producing the film. Vikram (Malhotra), Anu (Menon) and I are proud to bring to life the story of one of the most inspiring women of this country. How incredible that ‘The Math Genius’, ‘The Human Computer’, was a small-town Indian girl, who took the world by storm.”
Director Anu Menon added, “Shakuntala Devi was an extraordinary woman, who lived ahead of her times and on her own terms, unapologetically. Her love for numbers and the passion with which she spread the joy of maths, against all odds is truly fascinating. Shakuntala is a true heroine for our times. And who else can capture the spirit of a woman like Shakuntala than the incredible Vidya Balan. We have spent months together in script development and it’s been nothing short of exhilarating. I also feel incredibly lucky to collaborate with Vikram who has helped breathe life into this project.”
The yet to be titled film is expected to hit the theaters in the summer of 2020.
