Saugandh actress Shanti Priya replaces Dipika Chikhlia in Sarojini Naidu biopic

Saugandh actress Shanti Priya is set to play the role of Sarojini Naidu in the biopic of the freedom fighter. Earlier, Ramayan star Dipika Chikhlia was roped in for the role.

Saugandh actress Shanti Priya is making a comeback on the big screen after 28 years. The actress, who was last seen in Ikke Pe Ikka will be seen playing Sarojini Naidu in the upcoming biopic of the freedom fighter titled Sarojini. Earlier, we had informed you that Dipika Chikhlia was playing the role. However, now, the makers have roped in Shanti Priya for the biopic.

Shanti Priya will be playing the role of Sarojini Naidu in her senior years, while Sonal Monteiro, an actress who has worked in Kannada films like Panchatantra and MLA, will play the young Sarojini. Presented by Visica Films, the Sarojini Naidu biopic is being produced by Charan Suvarna and Honey Chaudhary and co-produced by Hemant Gowda. Vinay Chandra will be directing the film written by Yashomati and Dhiraj Mishra.

Apart from Shanti Priya and Sonal Monteiro, the film also stars Hiten Tejwani, who will be seen as Sarojini Naidu's husband, Govind, and veteran actress Zarina Wahab will seen as her mother, Varada Sundari Devi.

According to a source close to the film, earlier, Sarojini was being made only in Hindi, so Dipika Chikhlia was roped in for the film. The makers have now chosen Shantipriya, as the film is now being made in four languages - Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu. The film will soon go on floor. It will be shot in Coorg, Varanasi and Mumbai.

Shanti priya made her acting debut with Tamil Enga Ooru Pattukaran in 1987. Her debut Hindi film was Saugandh, opposite Akshay Kumar. She was later seen in films like Phool Aur Angaar, Veerta and Meherbaan. Her last big screen outing was Ikke Pe Ikka in 1994.