Web-Desk (April 13, 2018): The Indian website The Hindu reports that Bollywood filmmaker Nandita Das’s film on writer Saadat Hasan Manto is the only Indian film to have made it to the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival this year.
The film on the celebrated Indo-Pakistani writer with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role will be competing in the 71st Cannes Film Festival’s official “Un Certain Regard” section.
We are in Cannes!! #Manto is selected in the official section- Un Certain Regards. Exciting moment for the entire crew & cast. @Viacom18Movies @HP @ajlucio5 @vikbatra @mantagoyal @Nawazuddin_S @RasikaDugal @chintskap @SirPareshRawal @tahirbhasinfc @Javedakhtarjadu @gurdasmaan https://t.co/Rfva438Kpc
— Nandita Das (@nanditadas) April 12, 2018
“Last few days of uncertainty and anticipation was weighing on the entire cast and crew, that has put in all their passion and hard work. While Cannes is the most prestigious platform for the film, and a great start, the journey will be complete only when we get to share it with all of you,” Das said in a Facebook post.
She added, “Having been on the jury twice, and an audience at Cannes many a time, I have to say, it is truly a haven for film lovers. I look forward to seeing how the audience there reacts to this film that I have lived with for almost seven years. For me, this film and everything else that I do, will always remain a means to trigger conversations, a small step towards ‘the world we want to see’.”
“And it is possible that Saadat Hasan dies, but MANTO remains alive”.
Glad to inform that ‘MANTO’ is selected for competition at #Cannes2018 in #UnCertainRegard section.
Congratulations @nanditadas and Team #Manto pic.twitter.com/LBKcSVb1vb— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) April 12, 2018
The Cannes Film Festival is being held this year from May 8 to May 19.
The poster of the film and some footage and images were unveiled at the India pavilion at Marche du Film (Film Market) at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival last year
In a brief interaction at the festival last year Das had said that she first narrated the idea of the film to Siddiqui at Cannes on the steps of Palais de Festivale at an earlier edition of the festival.
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