Actress Vidya Balan’s exit from the biopic Aami – based on the life of prolific writer Kamala Surayya – has shocked fans and industry insiders alike. It has also left the National-Award winning director Kamal equally clueless.
The 38-year-old actress is yet to make an official statement on her exit from the biopic although, a source close to her said “creative differences” with the director as the main reason for her decision. As per a report in The Indian Express, the source added, “Vidya respects the director and the entire team working on the film. But the director and she had very different approaches to the film, therefore she opted out of the film in the most amicable and professional manner. Any other reason being cited is untrue.”
In an interview to the local media, the Celluloid director conveyed his shock over her decision and added she would have discussed had they had any creative differences of sorts. “Unprofessional and unethical. What else can I say about her backing out of the project after all preparations for the shooting had been done, without even citing a clear reason?” he said.
Kamal also added that Vidya conveyed her decision through a text message a week before the commencement of shoot in Ottapalam in December. The bi-lingual project also stared Murali Gopy, Prithviraj and Anoop Menon in pivotal roles.
Vidya Balan had been the first choice to play Aami as her roots were in Kerala. The actress was also said to be learning Malayalam to essay the role of Kamala Surayya who was an iconoclast in her own era.
As i prepare to tell 'your story' Kamala Das ??. pic.twitter.com/Fwkydldz5M
— vidya balan (@vidya_balan) September 11, 2016
The director says that the real-life story of Kamala Das who later converted to Islam and renamed herself to Kamala Surayya would have been very controversial for Vidya Balan to handle and that might be the reason for backing out.
Kamal has recently faced the wrath of right-wing activists and groups after he spoke against the arrests of people for not standing up for the National Anthem at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). Reports have been doing the rounds that this could also have driven the actress to make the decision.
Feature Image Source: Kamal – The New Indian Express | Vidya Balan –
