Nandita Das wraps up Manto shoot

The movie also features actress Rasika Dugal as Safiya, Manto’s wife and an ensemble star cast of veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, Swara Bhasker, Ranvir Shorey, Paresh Rawal and Swanand Kirkire. Nandita’s film primarily focuses on Manto’s years in Mumbai, a city he loved and mourned being separated from. The film is expected to release next year.

In the beginning of June Rasika Dugal and had wrapped up the final schedule for the film. “Wrapping shoot for a film is always an emotional experience for me. I get very attached to the people I work with. And there is always a strange void after a shoot is over. More so for this film because it was very special to me for so many reasons. I hope to take with me some of the fearlessness and courage that Manto embodied. Nandita and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are now friends, and I hope we get many more opportunities to collaborate. I am eagerly waiting to see all our hard work come together,” she had said back then.

#Mantofilm wrapped despite challenges Fab cast & crew All smiles after 41 long days. @Nawazuddin_S @RasikaDugal @Javedakhtarjadu @chintskap pic.twitter.com/Sh2utr1D7r

— Nandita Das (@nanditadas) July 2, 2017

In an earlier interview, Nandita Das had said, “I first read Manto’s stories when I was in college and was fascinated by how truthful and edgy the stories were, and how contemporary they wereI wanted to make a film on his life and his work. He believed having the courage to speak the truth was important. In his writing, he addressed free speech and women’s issues. He was also a feminist. Everything he says is extremely contemporary and addresses issues of today.”