Richa Chadha’s Shakeela biopic headed for OTT?

Richa Chadha essays softcore sensation Shakeela Khan in her upcoming biopic. The film, directed by Indrajit Lankesh, charts Shakeela’s rise in the South industries in the 90s, while also delving into the difficult corners of her career. Titled Shakeela, the biopic, which also stars Pankaj Tripathi, has been shot and edited. However, owing to the present situation due to the pandemic, the makers are considering releasing the film digitally.

A source informs, "The film already had a digital exhibitor and thus, they are the first party to approach. The chances of theatres opening soon look bleak. Keeping that in mind, the producers have initiated discussions with OTT platforms."

Hailing from Nellore, Shakeela debuted at the age of 20 in the 1995 Tamil film, Playgirls. She achieved fame for her appearances in Malayalam softcore and B-movies through the 90s, emerging as one of the first adult superstars of India. Her road to stardom, however, was peppered with difficulties and discrimination.

“I was interested in the story of a Muslim minority woman coming to a male-dominated industry and becoming a superstar,” Indrajit had previously shared with us. “Hers is an unprecedented rags-to-riches story. But even after becoming a star — maybe because of her own mistakes or the industry’s ego and hazards — she kept facing problems. It’s a story that can inform a lot of youngsters who dream of joining the film industry, but only see the glitz and glamour.”