Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2018)

 A few weeks ago, BT was the first to tell you that Mallika Sherawat has secured the rights for the Indian adaptation of the Emmy-winning show, ‘The Good Wife’. The actress had even told us that she will headline the cast of the show. BT now has it that the actress, currently in the process of casting for the show, has been approaching top lawyers in the city to get a perspective on the legal system and incorporate it into her court room drama.

“I’ve been watching shows across platforms and some of them have actually set the benchmark really high. So, I want my show to be as real as it gets. The idea is to make some strong statements with this show. We plan to take up contemporary issues like some of the rape cases that have made headlines in recent times. The legal system in India is very different from the one in USA. The idea is to add Indian context to the show and make it relevant to our audience. I’ve also appointed a legal researcher who can guide us on various things on our legal system,” says Mallika.

The actress has even approached top lawyers in the city for their inputs on high profile cases like the Kathua rape case, and a bunch of other social issues, which can help the writers put the story in perspective. “We will do our best because we’re adapting an Emmy-winner. It’s not easy. A lot of people have asked me how I managed to get the rights for The Good Wife and why I am headlining the cast. For me, this is reinvention. It’s is very important for an actress. At this stage of my career, I just can’t imagine myself running around trees,” she adds.

Elaborating on why she decided to adapt the show for the Indian audience, she says, “The Good Wife has aspirational value. It’s relatable for Indian women because the central protagonist here stands by her husband even after he goes wrong. It’s relevant to modern India because the country is brimming with strong, independent women who are running the show across various professional fields. In our adaptation, the central character faces humiliation when she starts at the bottom of the pyramid. That’s our reality, too. Many women will relate to this show because each one will find something familiar with the character. There’s no black or white, only grey shades, as the character makes mistakes and stands by them. She’s as real as any Indian woman.”