.: StrangeBlog :.

BollySpice.com reports that Ayesha may be ready in time to premier at the International Indian Film Awards in Sri Lanka during the first weekend in June.

“I am trying my best to complete the film,” says Ayesha producer Anil Kapoor, father of star Sonam.  “We are running against time. If we are done with it we might screen it at this year’s International Indian Film Awards.”

The piece continues with quotations from director Rajshree Ohja, who has said, “Emma, like Shakespeare’s works, is a human story. As for the satire on society, I’ve touched upon that. That’s the reason I based the story in Delhi, where the caste divide has given way to class divide. In Delhi you can find a young girl dressed in a Calvin Klein or Versace who discusses matchmaking with her neighbour. Like in Emma, marriage is about elevating your social status. I’ve hinted on these things but remember, it’s a commercial rom-com.”

OneIndia reports that Ayesha, starring Sonam Kapoor, is scheduled for an August release:

Anil Kapoor Films Company and PVR Pictures’ much awaited Sonam Kapoor-Abhay Deol starrer Aisha will be released on August 6, 2010. Aisha, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous novel Emma, is being produced by Ajay Bijli, Sanjeev K Bijli and Rhea Kapoor. The film is directed by Rajshree Ojha.

Besides Abhay and Sonam, the film also stars Cyrus Sahukar and Ira Dubey. Music of the film has been composed by Amit Trivedi while Diego Rodrigues is the director of photography (DOP).

No new news is forthcoming on the “Bollywood” Emma-based film adaptation.  There’s a listing for the film at the IMDB (as “Aisha”), though, noting its “post-production” status.  As I hear more, I’ll post it!

ETA:  Cinthia found this 4/9 India Express interview with director Rajshree Ojha, confirming the film’s post-production status.  In the interview, Ojha explains that her “first director’s cut” of the film is done and that “it lies in the producers’ hands.”

Cinthia comments:

It is surprising to know that the project began in 2004, but she and
the scriptwright could not find a back-up production company because
it had female-centered plot.

At the end of the interview there some interesting details. For example:

“There are places where I’ve curtailed the role of certain characters,
like that of Emma’s friend Harriet Smith, or combined two characters
into one, like the Woodhouse sisters.”

I find it intriguing, what does she mean by ‘curtailed’? Does it mean
that the Harriet character has been completely deleted or her role’s
importance has been diminished? And what about the Woodhouse sisters
being combined in only one character? I hope it is a confusion and she
meant Mrs. Weston and Isabella.

Here’s a Sonam Kapoor interview from IndianExpress.com about Ayesha.  Nothing earthshattering or new, but Kapoor does claim that the film will be “India’s first chick-flick.”

Also, a fun announcement from Laurel Ann at Austenprose is forthcoming. 

The San Francisco Chronicle reviews Emma 4…

…a piece from the Deccan Herald about Sonam Kapoor and Ayesha…

…and another piece from DNA India regarding Sonam and Ayesha…

ETA:  Yet another piece on Sonam, this time from The Hindu.

AETA:  Sonam Kapoor to Set Memorable Examples! from Indiaserver.com.