Seven years since announcing Battle for Bittora with Sonam, producer Rhea says she won’t give up on the ‘most romantic script’ she has worked on
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With Thank You for Coming in theatres and The Crew wrapped up, it might just be the time for producer Rhea Kapoor to go back to the love story that had won her heart years ago. In 2016, she had announced Battle for Bittora, a romantic comedy featuring actor-sister Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan. Seven years on, she still has the rights to Anuja Chauhan’s popular novel. “Honestly, it’s one of my favourite scripts. It just hasn’t been the right time to start making the film. It’s definitely on the cards,” says Rhea.
Rhea Kapoor; (right) Fawad Khan was the original choice for the male lead
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Recently, Sonam revealed that Battle for Bittora will be among the films she will front next year, adding that the team is currently looking for the male lead and a director. Chauhan’s novel tells the story of childhood friends-turned-sweethearts, Sarojini and Zain, who battle it out at elections, putting their love to the test. Does the fact that the story is set against the backdrop of a political battle make it a tricky project to pull off? Rhea says that in such subjects, authenticity is the aim. “I want the story to be told as authentically as possible, and ensure we do full justice to the palette. Right actors are integral to the film. The script is the most romantic one we have worked on. We don’t want to compromise on any aspect.”
It is hard to put together a rom-com in an industry that is obsessed with crime thrillers and actioners. But Rhea has always pushed films she believed in—be it Khoobsurat (2014) or Veere Di Wedding (2018)—and it will be the same for Battle for Bittora. “Many scripts take a while to get off the ground. Veere Di Wedding was developed over three years. [Work on] The Crew started right after Veere, and it’s done only now. Bittora, too, has been in development for a while. My father Anil Kapoor has a principle: push yourself to make the content better. We work as a boutique production house where development is serious business. I’ll never give up on the movie; it’s my favourite. It will 100 per cent happen. But I want all the pieces to come together.”
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