Mahesh Bhatt’s path-breaking drama Arth, which released in 1982, featured Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi. The film is now being remade and recent reports suggested that Jacqueline Fernandez has been approached to play Smita Patil's role in the remake. Now in a latest development, we hear that Swara Bhasker has been roped in for Shabana Azmi's character of an estranged wife, as reported by a leading daily. Incidentally, Revathi, who will direct the Hindi remake, played Shabana's role in the film’s 1993 Tamil remake, Marupadiyum, directed by the late Balu Mahendra.
"Swara has watched Arth and loves the film. When she was offered the role, she agreed to be a part of the project and will sign on the dotted line shortly. She admires Revathy both as a filmmaker and actor and is excited to work with another female director after Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari in Nil Battey Sannata (2016)," the daily quoted a source close to the development as saying.
While Swara has reportedly agreed to be a part of the film and is expected to sign soon, the hunt for the leading man is on. "The cast will begin prep and reading session closer to the shooting date," the source added, further informing that Swara is expected to start filming around December-January.
For those caught unaware, Arth was a semi-autobiographical film by Mahesh Bhatt, delving into the filmmaker’s extra-marital affair with Parveen Babi. The film was based on a man Inder (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), an ambitious director, who gets involved with a successful actress, Kavita (Smita Patil). He deserts his wife, Pooja (Shabana Azmi), who then embarks on a journey to find her true identity.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
