ears ago, Vishal Bhardwaj was to make a film on the life and cinema of the yesteryear stunt queen, Fearless Nadia. He had even signed German actress Franka Potente for the part, but the project fell apart.
Vishal’s dream project is finally coming to fruition, not with Franka, but Kangana Ranaut, who plays a doppelganger of Nadia, called Julia. The elegantly cut trailer of Rangoon shows Kangana having a great deal of fun doing the Nadia like ‘fearless’ stunts, and flirting with and seducing the two men in her life — Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.
Set in 1944, when World War II raged across the world, Rangoon wears a lush ripe look, if the trailer is anything to go by. The three protagonists look good together — and apart — and are completely immersed in the plot of what is essentially the story of a movie star, persuaded to travel to a war zone, in order to provide recreational relief to soldiers.
Besides a whole load of on-screen kisses, the movie boasts of stunning, untamed locations, to go with the wild-child image of Julia. The trailer also captures the chaotic excitement of wartime exigencies.
Shaiamak remembers Nadia
Positively excited about the upcoming movie, is Nadia’s grand-nephew, choreographer Shiamak Davar. “She was my Marymai,” he gushes. “She loved me insanely, and left her famous trademark whip and mask, and even her house to me. She would openly say I was her favourite.”
A little known nugget is that it was Shiamak’s Marymai who encouraged him to take up dancing. “She was my inspiration,” he exclaims. “She encouraged me to sing and dance, and would tell my parents all the time to never stop me from chasing my dreams. I am where I am because of Maryami’s encouragement.”
