"Lunch Box" Film Director Ritesh Batra To Direct Vidya Balan's Web Series On Indira Gandhi

Vidya Balan’s latest film Mission Mangal had a good start at the box-office, and her debut web series, based on India’s first and only woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has now found a director. The series will be helmed by Ritesh Batra, director of The LunchBox that stars Irrfan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Earlier this year, Vidya had announced plans to work in a web series based on the life of Indira Gandhi. “I am trying to do a web series, which will be based on the life of Indira Gandhiji. As of now, we are trying to do it, but let’s see how it takes shape,” Vidya had said.

“I feel doing a web series involves a lot of work. While doing a web series, a lot of people associate themselves with it as compared to making a film. So, it takes a lot of time. But when I will do it, I will make sure that it turns out well,” she had added.

Further, in her interview, Vidya Balan said that science and religion can "co-exist" and that they don't have to be "divorced."

Vidya, who is playing the role of a religious ISRO scientist in Mission Mangal, told PTI, "I think there is a problem with the way religion is being interpreted today. I know a lot of people who are shying away from calling themselves 'religious' and I am one of them... 'Religious' has become or obtained a negative connotation because being religious has become synonymous with being intolerant. But they don't have to be divorced".

Vidya Balan's film Misson Mangal is based on Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) successful Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013. The film also features Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Nithya Menen and Sharman Joshi in main roles.

Batra’s latest release was Photograph, earlier this year. The film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra.