Deepika Padukone's acid attack drama titled Chhapaak; Vikrant Massey to play the male lead

Deepika Padukone’s upcoming film with director Meghna Gulzar has been titled Chhapaak. Vikrant Massey has been roped in to play the male lead opposite Deepika in the film based on the life of acid attack survivor, Laxmi Agarwal. 

“I’m honoured to be part of Chhapaak. I'd like to thank Meghna Gulzar ma’am for giving me this opportunity and believing in me. I’m looking forward to working with the supremely talented Deepika Padukone,” Vikrant said in a statement. His character in the film is an actor who later becomes an activist. 

Laxmi Agarwal was 15 when she was attacked with acid at a bus stop in New Delhi in 2005, by three men for declining the marriage proposal of one of them. Having survived the attack, she filed a PIL in the Supreme Court in 2006 seeking a new law or amendment in the provisions dealing with acid attacks in the Indian Penal Code. Through her campaign, StopSaleAcid, Laxmi became the face of acid attack survivors in India. She received the 2014 International Women of Courage award from former US First Lady, Michelle Obama. She runs the NGO Chhanv Foundation, which helps acid attack survivors across the country. 

Meghna Gulzar received critical and commercial acclaim for her espionage drama Raazi, which was released earlier this year. While Deepika Padukone last appeared on screen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, Vikrant Massey was recently seen in the Amazon Prime Video web series, Mirzapur. The latter is also a part of the upcoming films, Mental Hai Kya and Dolly Kitti Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare.