Producer Vishnu Induri reveals details on late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa's biopic, which is currently underway
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 16, 2018)

After a biopic on Andhra cine-idol turned top politician NT Rama Rao, there have been reports about a similar biopic on the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa. But now the project has been finalised, informs producer Vishnu Induri who's incidentally also making the NTR film, along with '83 - film on India's first cricket World Cup victory.

Induri says the Jaya biopic will be directed by award-winning Kollywood filmmaker, A L Vijay, of Madrasapattinam (2010) fame. It will be made in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Vijay will direct the movie in all languages.

While top South actors' names, including Keerthy Suresh's, were doing rounds for the titular role, it is learnt that in fact three top Bollywood female stars instead have been shortlisted for the lead part, to be played simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

Says a source, "In an interview to Simi Garewal in 1999, Jayalalithaa had said that Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan would be best suited to play her on screen. But she hasn't been approached yet. Incidentally Rai-Bachchan had played a role inspired by Jayalalitha in her debut, Mani Ratnam's Iruvar (1997)."

According to sources, Tabu, Vidya Balan, and Deepika Padukone have been sounded off to play Jayalalithaa, "Vidya is already in the NTR biopic - playing the protagonist's wife Basavatarakam - so the makers already share a rapport with her."

Induri admits, "We are looking at a Bollywood actress, since this is a national, multilingual film. We want the story to travel across India. Though Jayalalithaa was the CM of Tamil Nadu, her story has a global appeal. We have approached two-three top Bollywood actresses. Director Vijay is overseeing the pre-production work of the film" Induri plans to release the Jaya film, along with '83, and the NTR biopic, in 2019.