Given the film industrys present frenzy of snapping up adaptation rights,Screen asks celebrities about books they would like adapted into a film,and a character from one of their favourite novels they would love to play on screen DIVYA DUTTA I think Sidney Sheldons If Tomorrow Comes a book about an idealist woman who is framed into a 15- year sentence in an escape-proof prison and her fight to destroy the untouchable crime lords who put her there will make for the perfect film adaptation. If done well,it would be a really beautiful film. I would love to essay the role of Scarlett OHara in Margaret Mitchelles romantic novel,Gone With The Wind,which was first published in 1936 . I am presently reading Delhi by Kushwant Singh. AMRITA RAO SAMEERA REDDY I love reading short stories and there are a couple of books that I would like adapted into films. Indian author Chetan Bhagats 2 States would make for the perfect adaptation. I would also like to see what can be done with Sidney Sheldons If Tomorrow Comes,as the book has great potential. I read If Tomorrow Comes two years ago and loved the book. It is a suspense thriller and in my opinion it has amazing potential. I also think Chitra Banerjees Arranged Marriages,a short story that focusses on liberated women from India trapped by cultural changes,is apt for the Indian audience.I would love to essay the role of the protagonist of Sidney Sheldons If Tomorrow Comes. AFTAB SHIVDASANI Vendetta: A Story Of One Forgotten by Marie Corelli in my opinion is the perfect choice for an adaptation.The protagonist in the novel,who is assumed to be dead,comes back looking much older. If given a chance I would love to play the role of the protagonist as it is an intense character. Right now,Im reading Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. SHEFALI SHAH I am all for Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber. The book is a case history of a female patient suffering from 13 personality disorders,out of which two are male personalities. I was so overwhelmed by the book when I read it. The story is very gripping and dramatic and explores a genre that has never been showcased on the bigscreen. Also the authors style of writing is such that it can easily be adapted. SAMEERA REDDY My vote goes to The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. The Fountainhead is an enduring piece of literature. It has become more popular now than when first published in 1943. It is a story of a man,Howard Roark,and his struggles as an architect. The book addresses a number of universal themes: the strength of the individual,the tug-ofwar between good and evil and the threat of fascism. That makes it a great contender for an adaptation. PURAB KOHLI Come to think of it,Chetan Bhagats 3 Mistakes Of My Life the story of three boys living their dream and setting up a business in Ahmedabad has the potential to be adapted into a Hindi film. The novel is a perfect potboiler. I would like to essay the role of any of the three friends as they all have great character sketches. I just started reading Mr. Nice by Howard Marks yesterday.
