Sitara Devi biopic announced on Kathak legend's 101st birth anniversary

A biopic on legendary Kathak danseuse Sitara Devi was announced on Monday. Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh announced the news and informed that the upcoming project is bankrolled by Raj C Anand of Raj Anand Movies. The makers gave an update about the film on Sitara Devi’s 101 birth anniversary.

Sitara Devi's son and celebrated musician Ranjit Barot will guide the project by sharing deep insights into his mother's life. ''When Raj Anand came to me with the idea of making a film on her, I realised it is coming from a very genuine space of enthusiasm and admiration towards my mother who was an iconic artist. We intend to bring to the screen the untold story of her life through this endeavour,'' the eminent drummer Barot said in a statement.

A biopic on Kathak danseuse is in the works 

According to PTI, Barot is helping with the research for bringing the fascinating story of a woman who ''redefined feminism and womanhood by living life on her own terms''. For the unversed, Sitara Devi won the Padma Shree award is 1973, followed by Kalidas Samman and Nritya Nipuna awards in the 90s. However, she reportedly refused to accept the Padma Bhushan award and demanded Bharat Ratna for her contribution to the Kathak world. The film is in the pre-production stage and the cast and the director will be announced soon, the makers said in a release.

About Sitara Devi

The classical dancer was born Dhanalakshmi, hailed from Kolkata. She took an interest in Kathak and worked towards reforming the dance style. She made her debut with Usha Haran (1940) and followed it up with films such as Nagina (1951), Roti, Vatan, and Anjali among others. Apart from acting in Kathak, the danseuse also mastered other dance forms including Bharatanatyam and Russian ballet.  Sitara Devi drew inspiration from the themes, poetry, and choreography collected by her father. She also got inspired by the environment around her -- be it a town or a village. She was honoured with the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 for her contribution to the classical dance genre for over six decades. She passed away on November 25, 2014, at a Mumbai hospital, following a prolonged illness.

IMAGE: Instagram/Siddhant Gaikwad