Nandita has invited people to send their clips enacting as Ashok Kumar for her film on Manto

 Nandita Das is returning to direction after a long gap with her biopic on the celebrated Indo-Pakistani writer Saadat Hasan Manto. The film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the title role, while Rasika Dugal will be seen playing his wife Safiyah in the film. The film went on floor in Gujarat recently. However, Nandita is still in the process of casting of rest of the characters and recently even appealed to her followers on social media by posting, “As many of you know, I am making a film on Saadat Hasan Manto, one of the greatest short story writers.Ashok Kumar, the eminent actor, director and producer was a good friend of Manto’s - and we’re still looking for him! Someone who can capture his humour, mannerisms and dignity. If you think you’ve got what it takes, send us a short clip of yourself as Ashok Kumar.You never know, you could be the Ashok Kumar we’ve been looking for.” (Sic)

 While Nandita has said it in the past that she always wanted to make a film on Manto, it is not for the first time that the film is being made on the writer. In 2015 Pakistani director Sarmad Khoosat directed and played the title role in his film Manto and it received a good response too. A television series too was made earlier on Manto's life.