Acclaimed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, whose latest documentary I Am Sirat is doing the rounds at various international film festivals across the world, has begun scripting her next film Burnt Sugar.
The film is a silver-screen adaptation of Avni Doshi’s bestselling novel of the same name.
Talking about the film, Mehta told a newswire, “It is a true story based in the late 1800s in Calcutta about a woman serial killer. I am looking forward to the challenge of portraying a killer as the lead.”
While the film is set in Calcutta, the novel is set in the Indian city of Pune and tells the story of Tara, who after a wild youth, faces challenges when she is older and must rekindle her relationship with her daughter.
Shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, and longlisted for the 2021 Women’s Prize, the novel has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide.
Translation rights have been sold into 26 languages, including German, French, Spanish, Korean, Russian and Arabic.
“Depicting complicated human connections is what drives most of my projects and I look forward to delving into the complex, layered, and at times surprisingly dark mother-daughter relationship that is so shockingly illustrated in this novel,” Mehta had said earlier. “Burnt Sugar’ is often sprinkled with razor-sharp humour and its unexpected take on the old-as-time relationship left me gasping. It grabbed me from its first sentence and I couldn’t say yes fast enough when I was asked to bring the vision to the screen.”
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.