Movies that are adapted from literary works can be very good at times. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, adapted by Baz Luhrmann is one example. Another great example is The Godfather trilogy, which was adapted from the writings of Italian-American author Mario Puzo and helmed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Movies that are adapted from literary works can be very good at times. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, adapted by Baz Luhrmann is one example. Another great example is The Godfather trilogy, which was adapted from the writings of Italian-American author Mario Puzo and helmed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Closer to home, we’ve seen Mira Nair directing The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which was adapted from Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s original novel of the same name and featured Riz Ahmed, Meesha Shafi, Kiefer Sutherland and several others in principal roles.
While the reception to that film was lukewarm, another Mohsin Hamid book could be getting its own film. According to a report in Variety, Asif Kapadia, having won an Oscar for Amy and a BAFTA for Senna will “re-team with actor Irrfan Khan” on an adaptation of the novel Moth Smoke which is penned by Mohsin Hamid.
Variety reports that Khan, Kapadia and an independent producer called Dina Dattani have acquired the rights to the novel with Kapadia attached to co-write and direct. “Set in 1998 against the backdrop of nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, the Lahore-based novel follows Darashikoh Shehzad, a social misfit who begins an affair with his best friend’s wife.” Irrfan Khan, who is gearing up for the release of Hindi Medium opposite Pakistani actress Saba Qamar will play the role of Shehzad while the remaining cast is yet to be revealed.
“I have been eagerly waiting for something on which I could work with Asif again, and Moth Smoke excites both of us,” Khan told Variety. “We believe it can be set in contemporary times.”
Of course, with political tension brewing between India and Pakistan, it remains unclear where the film will be shot. “It is too early to decide on location. We will consider both Pakistan and India for the shoot,” said Dattani.
