Bhumi Pednekar to star opposite Rajkummar Rao in Bheed
Bheed, which marks Anubhav Sinha’s reunion with Bhushan Kumar after the monumental success of Thappad, was announced last week and stars Rajkummar Rao in the lead. Now, the director has announced that the leading lady in the film will be none other than Bhumi Pednekar. Rao and Pednekar will also be seen in the much awaited Badhaai Do next year, for which the duo have already finished shooting.
Talking about the collaboration, Anubhav Sinha said, “Bhumi was the perfect choice for a film of this nature. She is an assured actress and a woman with a mind of her own. That’s the quality this character needs to have. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast. These are performers who not only shine every time they are on screen; they elevate the written word to create magic on screen. I am blessed to have the team I am working with. I couldn’t have asked for a better collaborator than Bhushan Kumar who is immensely supportive at every step along the way. He is the kind of visionary who believes in the diversity of cinema and choose to tell stories that are gutsy and off the beaten path.”
Much like Thappad, Mulk and Article 15, Sinha brings to the fore an everyday subject that needs a dialogue with Bheed. The socio-political drama will be shot across Lucknow, where Sinha recently conducted an elaborate recce. The film is expected to go on floors in November as the unit continues their extensive pre-production for the next few weeks.
Bhumi also shared her excitement for the film and added, “Being part of an Anubhav Sinha film is a matter of great honour and privilege. He shares my value system in believing that movies have the power to shift mindsets. As artists, the responsibility of telling such stories lies with us. Same goes for Bhushan Kumar who allows his writers, directors and actors to be gutsy, giving them the confidence like being the inspired producer he is. This is a crackling subject and I can’t wait to get on to the journey of this film.”
Bheed is jointly produced by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series and Anubhav Sinha’s Benaras Mediaworks.
