Alia Bhatt or Priyanka Chopra: Whom would you like more as Ma Anand Sheela?
Is it now between Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra?
Is it now between Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra?
As you wonder how and why, here’s a little background.
On March 18, 2018, Netflix released a documentary named Wild Wild Country. Yes, it was wild.
Osho is almost a household name, even to those born in the nineties and because there are still his followers everywhere. Those who have studied a little bit about him know about his cult, which became quite infamous because of its purported ‘free sex’ therapies and all that jazz.
But to those who were just familiar with the name Osho and nothing else, the documentary was a revelation.
The journey of Bhagwan Rajneesh from Poona to Oregon seemed unbelievable. The journey of Sheela, who became Ma Anand Sheela, from a belief-struck, meek devotee to the woman-in-command was equally incredible. There were serious criminal charges on her. She reportedly poisoned an entire town.
But, as we were seeing the actual footag, we could not stop marvelling at Ma Anand Sheela's character!
What’s equally amazing, if not more astounding, is that both Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt are now apparently set to essay the character of Maa Anand Sheela!
According to earlier reports, a Bollywood film was being planned based on the documentary. Aamir Khan was reportedly thought of for the role of Bhagwan Rajneesh, while Alia Bhatt was the choice for Ma Anand Sheela.
Alia is a powerhouse of talent. No nepotism debate can take away from what she has already achieved in her various roles, of different shades.
But Sheela, who represents intelligence, shrewdness, evil, absolute badassery?
We would love to see how Alia gets into the skin of the character, if at all.
But before the plan in fact matured and we could hear more of it, here’s a confirmed thing.
Priyanka Chopra is working on a Hollywood biopic of Ma Anand Sheela with American filmmaker Barry Levinson. As she has been quoted:
Yeah, I am developing a feature film with Barry Levinson. He did Rain Man and he is an iconic American director. And we are developing it as the character of Sheela, who was this guru (Osho) who originated from India, his right-hand woman and she was just devious and created a whole cult in America and brought people here. He was called Osho. I am developing that next for me to star in and produce in which I think would be really cool.
We bet it would be so cool too.
We believe Priyanka Chopra has all it takes to be an on-screen Sheela. Her scorchingly negative role in Aitraaz in fact mesmerised us. She has the energy and the talent to nail this one too.
But that leaves us on the horns of a delicious dilemma! We don't know whom to keep ahead in this race — Alia or Priyanka?
Honestly though, could anyone play Sheela better than Sheela herself?