Beloved Works Of Literature We’d Like To See Adapted Into Bollywood films – Part III
King Lear is often regarded as one of Shakespeare's finest achievements
After Wuthering Heights and The Age Of Innocence, guest columnist Sal continues fantasy casting for notable works of literature, in our ongoing feature.
Most of these books are in the public domain, which means happy producers don’t have to pay for the rights!) and Sal feels they'd make for terrific Bollywood films. (Sal's read very little classic Indian literature, alas, but find them on Twitter, for any suggestions you may have!)
This week's fantasy casting is for:
Book: King Lear by William Shakespeare
Plot: Ageing monarch disinherits his youngest daughter out of anger and then realizes his sweet-talking older daughters are straight-up evil. Political intrigue and family drama ensues.
What it’d look like: I vote for Bard-whisperer Vishal Bharadwaj to take a whack at this one. His female characters have rarely been the protagonists of his films, but they’ve almost always been their most fascinating aspect, and this one would let them take center-stage. Bharadwaj’s Lear could be a contemporary adaptation, set either within a political dynasty or in the corridors of big business. Bharadwaj could find much to train his keenly satirical eye on in both settings, and he’d make interesting observations about gender, age, and wealth in the process. He’d do well to cull some of the male parts and give their action to the daughters, I think.
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan can play all the great old men in Shakespeare beautifully, but I’ve always wanted to see him as egotistical, misguided Lear (echoes of whom we find in the patriarch parts Bachchan played in Ek Rishtaa and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham). Bharadwaj muse Tabu would be ferocious as Goneril, Richa Chaddha would make a superbly cunning Regan, and Deepika Padukone could bring her luminously resolute quality to Cordelia.
You can read the first and second parts of this series here and here. The fourth part of this series lands next week, but meanwhile, what are books you’d like to see Bolly adaptations of? Tweet at me @salandthebadpun or comment below!
In our exclusive five part series, Guest Columnist Sal Salam lists beloved works of literature they’d like to see adapted into Bollywood films. Their final choice? Ranbir-Priyanka in Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth!