Nandita Das’s much awaited indie film Manto has signed on the Sexy Durga & Angry Indian Goddesses actor Rajshri Despande to play the legendary author Ismat Chughtai.

Ismat Chughtai

Ismat Chughtai

The shoot of the film starts this week and the casting was confirmed today after a look test of Rajshri in a signature sari, hair and spectacles to get into the garb of the eminent Indian writer.

Recently, Nawazuddin shared the first look of the movie on Twitter which soon broke the internet as the actor bears a striking resemblance to the late writer. The mood of the black-and-white picture is grim and Nawaz is wearing a pair of spectacles.

Nawazuddin in Manto's look

Nawazuddin in Manto’s look

While the title role of Manto will be played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, ‘TVF’s Humourously Yours’ star Rasika Dugal will portray the on screen wife of the protagonist Saadat Hasan Manto. Rajshri Deshpande’s casting is for one of the many illustrious characters to be featured in the film on Manto’s life. Nandita recently mentioned at a fashion show that Shabana Azmi will be singing for the film and her Husband and veteran writer Javed Akhtar is also a part of the project. Earlier, late Om Puri was also cast for a key role in the film.

Rajshri Deshpande

Rajshri Deshpande

Rajshri Deshapande’s latest film ‘Sexy Durga’ is currently doing the festival rounds and has already won the coveted Hivor Tiger Award at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam and will also play at the IFFLA 2017.

Nandita and her writer Ali Mir’s version of Manto will be narrowed down the 7 most interesting years’ of the life and time of Manto.