From taking them to Prithvi theatre to visiting author’s favourite haunts, Rasika on how the biopic’s team hosted Nusrat and Nuzhat on their India trip
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 18, 2018)

Days after mid-day reported that Nandita Das was keen to have Saadat Hasan Manto’s daughters — Nighat Patel, Nuzhat Arshad and Nusrat Jalal — by her side at the India premiere of Manto, the director’s wish has been realised. Jalal and Arshad landed in Mumbai on Saturday, giving them enough time to bond with actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rasika Dugal, who play Manto and wife Safia in the biopic.

Talking to mid-day, Dugal says that Das had a single objective for their Sunday outing — to familiarise the daughters with the city that Manto lived in and loved. “Nandita took them on a walk in town, showing them places that their parents used to visit often. Nusrat aapa and Shahid saab [her husband] were moved by the gesture,” says Dugal, adding that an evening at the city’s much-loved theatre, Prithvi, was only fitting, given that they have inherited their father’s love for art. “We sat in the cafe, talking about cinema, theatre, and of course, Manto and Safia! We even went to the bookstore and bought a collection of Manto’s essays.”

Dugal also hosted a dinner in their honour. “Nandita, Nawaz and I had dinner with the family where Saeed sahab [a common friend of the Manto family and Das] read out a beautiful fictional piece he had written about Nandita meeting Manto.”

After the Mumbai premiere last night, the daughters will attend the biopic’s Delhi premiere tomorrow.