Cannes Film Festival 2017: A look at the biopic based on writer Saadat Hasan Manto

Actor-filmmaker Nandita Das’s biopic on late writer Saadat Hasan Manto had a curtain raiser at the Cannes Film Festival 2017 on Saturday. The film, titled Manto, has actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role. The filmmaker shared some shots and scenes from the film on her Facebook profile, giving us a sneak-peek into the film. The same were shared on the film’s official Facebook page, too. Here’s a look:

Das also took to Twitter to share the news:

Sharing Manto in Cannes with media & film fraternity. Today is the big Manto event. With Nawaz & Rasika! Happy! https://t.co/ozMBYTtvqQ pic.twitter.com/VcfkZbeaf4

— Nandita Das (@nanditadas) May 22, 2017

Actor Rasika Dugal had tweeted on May 20 about their schedule in Cannes. Rasika plays Manto’s wife, Safiyah Manto in the film. “I spoke to Nuzhat (Manto’s daughter) before we started filming. She had seen the photos of my first look which came out a few days back and I was delighted that she also thought that I resembled her mother,” Dugal had told Hindustan Times in an interview.

At @Festival_Cannes from 22nd to 24th with @nanditadas @Nawazuddin_S to share a glimpse of #Mantothefilm #Cannesfilmfestival2017 https://t.co/MFXy0ID19Q

— Rasika Dugal (@RasikaDugal) May 20, 2017

Nawazuddin also featured in a small film by Das, titled In Defence of Freedom, in which he plays Manto. Watch Nawaz’s power-packed monolgue here: