Actress Freida Pinto will essay British spy Noor Inayat Khan in the upcoming limited series, Spy Princess.
Freida will also executive-produce the limited series based on Shrabani Basu's book, Spy Princess: The Life Of Noor Inayat Khan, reports deadline.com.
Anand Tucker will direct the project and Olivia Hetreed will pen the screen adaptation based on the book, with Basu attached as series consultant.
"She was a fierce and amazing woman, the most unlikely heroine of World War II. Sending women to the front line is controversial even now. Then it was unthinkable," Freida said about Noor, the first Allied Forces female wireless operator sent into Nazi occupied France in 1943.
"Sending a Sufi mystic, who won't use a gun, daughter of a long-haired Indian Guru who preaches love and peace -- ridiculous! But Noor thrives, not in spite of her differences, but because of them. Her struggle to reconcile...
Freida will also executive-produce the limited series based on Shrabani Basu's book, Spy Princess: The Life Of Noor Inayat Khan, reports deadline.com.
Anand Tucker will direct the project and Olivia Hetreed will pen the screen adaptation based on the book, with Basu attached as series consultant.
"She was a fierce and amazing woman, the most unlikely heroine of World War II. Sending women to the front line is controversial even now. Then it was unthinkable," Freida said about Noor, the first Allied Forces female wireless operator sent into Nazi occupied France in 1943.
"Sending a Sufi mystic, who won't use a gun, daughter of a long-haired Indian Guru who preaches love and peace -- ridiculous! But Noor thrives, not in spite of her differences, but because of them. Her struggle to reconcile...
- 1/16/2021
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto is set to star in and executive produce Spy Princess, a limited series based on Shrabani Basu’s Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan, the definitive biography of Noor’s life, from writer Olivia Hetreed (Girl With a Pearl Earring) and Red Room Films.
Hetreed will pen the adaptation based on the book, and Basu will serve as a consultant on the series.
Noor was the first female wireless operator sent into occupied France in 1943 – a role with a life expectancy of just six weeks.
“She was a fierce and amazing woman, the most unlikely heroine of World War 2,” Pinto said. “Sending women to the front line is controversial even now. Then it was unthinkable. Sending a Sufi mystic, who won’t use a gun, daughter of a long-haired Indian Guru who preaches love and peace – ridiculous! But Noor thrives, not in spite of her differences,...
Hetreed will pen the adaptation based on the book, and Basu will serve as a consultant on the series.
Noor was the first female wireless operator sent into occupied France in 1943 – a role with a life expectancy of just six weeks.
“She was a fierce and amazing woman, the most unlikely heroine of World War 2,” Pinto said. “Sending women to the front line is controversial even now. Then it was unthinkable. Sending a Sufi mystic, who won’t use a gun, daughter of a long-haired Indian Guru who preaches love and peace – ridiculous! But Noor thrives, not in spite of her differences,...
- 1/15/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Sneak Peek director Stephen Frears' comedy drama "Victoria & Abdul" (2017), based on the book by Shrabani Basu, following the real-life relationship between 'Queen Victoria' of the United Kingdom and her Indian servant 'Abdul Karim', starring Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith and Adeel Akhtar:
"....in 1887, 'Abdul Karim', a young prison clerk from Agra, India, is instructed to travel to England for the 'Golden Jubilee' of 'Queen Victoria' to present her with a 'mohur', a gold coin which has been minted as a token of appreciation from British-ruled India.
"The Queen, who is lonely and tired of her fawning courtiers, develops an interest in and later a friendship with Abdul, spending time with him alone..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Victoria & Abdul"...
"....in 1887, 'Abdul Karim', a young prison clerk from Agra, India, is instructed to travel to England for the 'Golden Jubilee' of 'Queen Victoria' to present her with a 'mohur', a gold coin which has been minted as a token of appreciation from British-ruled India.
"The Queen, who is lonely and tired of her fawning courtiers, develops an interest in and later a friendship with Abdul, spending time with him alone..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Victoria & Abdul"...
- 5/22/2018
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Judi Dench is stepping back into the shoes of Queen Victoria in Focus Features's biographical drama Victoria and Abdul. While not much was previously known about Victoria's Indian attendant Abdul Karim (played by Ali Fazal), the film is shedding new light on his close bond with the queen, the royal court's disapproval of their friendship, and the lasting impression Victoria had on him before her death. Keep reading for the fascinating true story of Queen Victoria and her "Munshi" Abdul. RelatedShe Was Almost Killed 6 Times, and 17 Other Fascinating Facts About Queen Victoria Humble Beginnings According to Shrabani Basu, the historian who uncovered Abdul's personal diary, the two first met during the Golden Jubilee in 1887, where Abdul served as one of the queen's Indian servants. He and the other servant, Mohamed Buxshe, were meant to "facilitate communication with Indian dignitaries and wait on the queen" during the celebration that marked the 50th anniversary of her accession.
- 1/7/2018
- by Kelsie Gibson
- Popsugar.com
In this edition of Career Watch we take on Judi Dench, who at 83 is a full-on movie star and could earn her eighth Oscar nomination for the title role in Stephen Frears’ “Victoria & Abdul.”
Bottom Line: Dame Judi Dench far prefers theater (it offers more control than director-centric moviemaking), but she’s also a marquee draw in TV and movies. She’s always stellar no matter the material (see: “The Chronicles of Reddick”), and she’s a real draw for (older) moviegoers, from two-hander “Notes on a Scandal” opposite Cate Blanchett to Dench’s other franchise, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
Career Peaks: Forty years after her stage debut as Ophelia at the Old Vic, Dench broke out in 1997 in “Mrs Brown” as Queen Victoria, earning her first Oscar nomination. (She notoriously claimed that she had Harvey Weinstein’s name “tattooed on my bum, which I hadn’t. I...
Bottom Line: Dame Judi Dench far prefers theater (it offers more control than director-centric moviemaking), but she’s also a marquee draw in TV and movies. She’s always stellar no matter the material (see: “The Chronicles of Reddick”), and she’s a real draw for (older) moviegoers, from two-hander “Notes on a Scandal” opposite Cate Blanchett to Dench’s other franchise, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
Career Peaks: Forty years after her stage debut as Ophelia at the Old Vic, Dench broke out in 1997 in “Mrs Brown” as Queen Victoria, earning her first Oscar nomination. (She notoriously claimed that she had Harvey Weinstein’s name “tattooed on my bum, which I hadn’t. I...
- 1/1/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In this edition of Career Watch we take on Judi Dench, who at 83 is a full-on movie star and could earn her eighth Oscar nomination for the title role in Stephen Frears’ “Victoria & Abdul.”
Bottom Line: Dame Judi Dench far prefers theater (it offers more control than director-centric moviemaking), but she’s also a marquee draw in TV and movies. She’s always stellar no matter the material (see: “The Chronicles of Reddick”), and she’s a real draw for (older) moviegoers, from two-hander “Notes on a Scandal” opposite Cate Blanchett to Dench’s other franchise, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
Career Peaks: Forty years after her stage debut as Ophelia at the Old Vic, Dench broke out in 1997 in “Mrs Brown” as Queen Victoria, earning her first Oscar nomination. (She notoriously claimed that she had Harvey Weinstein’s name “tattooed on my bum, which I hadn’t. I...
Bottom Line: Dame Judi Dench far prefers theater (it offers more control than director-centric moviemaking), but she’s also a marquee draw in TV and movies. She’s always stellar no matter the material (see: “The Chronicles of Reddick”), and she’s a real draw for (older) moviegoers, from two-hander “Notes on a Scandal” opposite Cate Blanchett to Dench’s other franchise, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
Career Peaks: Forty years after her stage debut as Ophelia at the Old Vic, Dench broke out in 1997 in “Mrs Brown” as Queen Victoria, earning her first Oscar nomination. (She notoriously claimed that she had Harvey Weinstein’s name “tattooed on my bum, which I hadn’t. I...
- 1/1/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The basis for Stephen Frears’ historical drama Victoria & Abdul is Shrabani Basu’s book of the same name. It stemmed, most improbably, from a side project in which the author was investigating the history of curries — something she relayed at Deadline’s inaugural The Contenders London. “I knew that Queen Victoria liked her curries, and she had some Indian servants, but it was only on a trip to the Isle of Wight, to the Osborne house” that the author understood the true…...
- 11/3/2017
- Deadline
Shrabani Basu on ‘Victoria & Abdul’ by Uinterview Shrabani Basu, the author behind the now major motion picture Victoria & Abdul, uncovered the truth behind Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim for her 2010 historical novel Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant. Shrabani Basu On Victoria & Abdul The book and movie adaptation tell […]
Source: uInterview
The post Shrabani Basu On ‘Victoria & Abdul,’ Judi Dench & Ali Fazal [Video Exclusive] appeared first on uInterview.
Source: uInterview
The post Shrabani Basu On ‘Victoria & Abdul,’ Judi Dench & Ali Fazal [Video Exclusive] appeared first on uInterview.
- 10/5/2017
- by Hillary Luehring-Jones
- Uinterview
Whisper campaigns have always been an effective strategy among rival Oscar strategists, hinting at the issues that can quietly dog a movie throughout its campaign. (Remember? “They got history wrong in ‘Lincoln.’ Or: “‘Zero Dark Thirty’ justifies torture.”) Only now that we have the meme, the marketers don’t have to whisper — or even say anything at all. Social media has created a nation of casual activists who are swift to recognize the off notes, and denounce them in the Twittersphere. Of course, an irate public doesn’t necessarily matter; it’s the voters who count. And while the Academy is working to make its membership younger and more diverse — a population with greater sensitivity toward cultural issues than some of their elder peers — they’re an influence, not the majority. Here’s a look at the issues that are dogging some of the season’s Oscar titles, and how we might see them resolve.
- 10/2/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Whisper campaigns have always been an effective strategy among rival Oscar strategists, hinting at the issues that can quietly dog a movie throughout its campaign. (Remember? “They got history wrong in ‘Lincoln.’ Or: “‘Zero Dark Thirty’ justifies torture.”) Only now that we have the meme, the marketers don’t have to whisper — or even say anything at all. Social media has created a nation of casual activists who are swift to recognize the off notes, and denounce them in the Twittersphere. Of course, an irate public doesn’t necessarily matter; it’s the voters who count. And while the Academy is working to make its membership younger and more diverse — a population with greater sensitivity toward cultural issues than some of their elder peers — they’re an influence, not the majority. Here’s a look at the issues that are dogging some of the season’s Oscar titles, and how we might see them resolve.
- 10/2/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Chicago – There have been 155 TV/Movie depictions of Queen Victoria, who ruled England from 1837 to 1901. The “Victorian Era” continues to fascinate filmmakers, and who is perfect to portray Queen V. towards the end of her life? Get me Dame Judi Dench on the Skype!
Rating: 3.0/5.0
This is a story of a little known chapter of her later life… her unlikely relationship with a footman from India, Abdul Karim. In the film, it is hinted that the history of this friendship was destroyed for image purposes, but enough of the events were recorded to adapt into a film (from a book by Shrabani Basu). Veteran director Stephen Frears (“Florence Foster Jenkins”) applies his usual workmanlike approach to narrative, but nothing comes to life in the situation. No offense to the great Judi D., but the formula presented in the film almost seemed like a satire, with the elder actress of course...
Rating: 3.0/5.0
This is a story of a little known chapter of her later life… her unlikely relationship with a footman from India, Abdul Karim. In the film, it is hinted that the history of this friendship was destroyed for image purposes, but enough of the events were recorded to adapt into a film (from a book by Shrabani Basu). Veteran director Stephen Frears (“Florence Foster Jenkins”) applies his usual workmanlike approach to narrative, but nothing comes to life in the situation. No offense to the great Judi D., but the formula presented in the film almost seemed like a satire, with the elder actress of course...
- 9/30/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Judi Dench (left) stars as Queen Victoria and Ali Fazal (right) stars as Abdul Karim in
director Stephen Frears’ Victoria And Abdul, a Focus Features release. Photo credit: Peter Mountain / Focus Features ©
Director Stephen Frears’ funny, charming Victoria And Abdul was inspired by a real event late in the life of Queen Victoria, when the aging British monarch had her mood brighten by the arrival of a visitor from India, much to the dismay of her advisers and her son, the crown prince. Judi Dench gives a brave and bitingly funny performance as the elderly Queen Victoria, which feels a bit like a kind of sequel to her role as the same queen earlier in life in 1997’s Mrs. Brown. Frears’ handsome historical comedy/drama has a script written by Lee Hall, who penned Billy Elliot, and is based on journalist Shrabani Basu’s “Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
director Stephen Frears’ Victoria And Abdul, a Focus Features release. Photo credit: Peter Mountain / Focus Features ©
Director Stephen Frears’ funny, charming Victoria And Abdul was inspired by a real event late in the life of Queen Victoria, when the aging British monarch had her mood brighten by the arrival of a visitor from India, much to the dismay of her advisers and her son, the crown prince. Judi Dench gives a brave and bitingly funny performance as the elderly Queen Victoria, which feels a bit like a kind of sequel to her role as the same queen earlier in life in 1997’s Mrs. Brown. Frears’ handsome historical comedy/drama has a script written by Lee Hall, who penned Billy Elliot, and is based on journalist Shrabani Basu’s “Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
- 9/29/2017
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Director Stephen Frears (“Florence Foster Jenkins”) continues his fascination with odd pairings and female empowerment with “Victoria & Abdul,” which explores the mysterious, controversial, and loving friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and Indian clerk-turned-confidant Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal). And what better way to shed light on that friendship (both literally and metaphorically) than through their wardrobes?
“I did wide research into the social and historical world of the Royal English family [from 1887 at the Queen’s Jubilee celebration until her death in 1901], and this woman who was burdened with formality and rigidity and the absurdity of the hierarchy within the household,” said long-time Fears costume designer Consolata Boyle (twice Oscar-nominated for “The Queen” and “Florence Foster Jenkins”). “Every nuance had to be completely right so you could turn your back on it and concentrate on the friendship.”
The Shocking Relevance
Based on the novel by journalist Shrabani Basu, who uncovered the scandalous infatuation that disrupted the palace and lead to a near revolt against the queen,...
“I did wide research into the social and historical world of the Royal English family [from 1887 at the Queen’s Jubilee celebration until her death in 1901], and this woman who was burdened with formality and rigidity and the absurdity of the hierarchy within the household,” said long-time Fears costume designer Consolata Boyle (twice Oscar-nominated for “The Queen” and “Florence Foster Jenkins”). “Every nuance had to be completely right so you could turn your back on it and concentrate on the friendship.”
The Shocking Relevance
Based on the novel by journalist Shrabani Basu, who uncovered the scandalous infatuation that disrupted the palace and lead to a near revolt against the queen,...
- 9/26/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
In 1887, a 24-year-old Indian man named Abdul Karim traveled from his home country to England, to be a servant for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Karim made such an impression on the monarch that she handpicked him to become her tutor in the ways of his home country, and even teach her Urdu. The two developed a close friendship that scandalized the Royal Household and would go on until the time of the Queen’s death in 1901. Karim’s story remained mostly unknown until the release of a book by Shrabani Basu which recounted his years in the Queen’s court. Basu’s book was used as the inspiration for Victoria & Abdul, a film by Stephen Frears. Speaking from the Toronto Film Festival, Frears expressed he wanted to tell the story because of its provocative elements and to show the Queen was “more interesting than those statues of her.” “She...
- 9/23/2017
- by Jose Solís
- The Film Stage
The extraordinary story of the close relationship between Queen Victoria and the first Indian member of the royal household is now being told.
The platonic relationship between Abdul Karim and the 19th-century monarch was one of tremendous devotion: He taught her Urdu, spent time with her at her summer house in Scotland and the two shared intimate letters.
Their closeness sparked racism and jealousy among the court and other members of the Queen’s family. But Victoria, who was just 18 when she became Queen, showed herself to be an enlightened woman who faced down her court as she remained loyal...
The platonic relationship between Abdul Karim and the 19th-century monarch was one of tremendous devotion: He taught her Urdu, spent time with her at her summer house in Scotland and the two shared intimate letters.
Their closeness sparked racism and jealousy among the court and other members of the Queen’s family. But Victoria, who was just 18 when she became Queen, showed herself to be an enlightened woman who faced down her court as she remained loyal...
- 9/22/2017
- by Simon Perry
- PEOPLE.com
The little-known story of Queen Victoria and her beloved Indian servant Abdul Karim was once so little-known that Shrabani Basu, author of the 2010 non-fiction biography Victoria & Abdul, spent three days searching the graveyards of Agra in Utter Pradesh in order to find Karim’s final resting place. Happily, thanks to the lightly comic film adaptation of Basu's book – penned by Lee Hall, directed by Stephen Frears and starring the indefatigable Judi Dench as the monarch…...
- 9/17/2017
- Deadline
MaryAnn’s quick take… Charming based-on-fact British costume dramedy gently snarks about power and propriety but cuts a lot deeper when it comes to bigotry and bootlicking. I’m “biast” (pro): love Judi Dench, mostly love Stephen Frears’s films
I’m “biast” (con): we’re still telling stories about this dead queen?
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
The ribbing writes itself: Hey, they finally made the sequel to 1997’s Mrs. Brown! You know, the movie in which Judi Dench as Queen Victoria develops a close platonic friendship — or maybe even a romance — with royal groundskeeper John Brown in the early years of her widowhood, in the 1860s. It was a scandal! And now here’s Victoria & Abdul, which opens 20 years later and stars Judi Dench (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel...
I’m “biast” (con): we’re still telling stories about this dead queen?
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
The ribbing writes itself: Hey, they finally made the sequel to 1997’s Mrs. Brown! You know, the movie in which Judi Dench as Queen Victoria develops a close platonic friendship — or maybe even a romance — with royal groundskeeper John Brown in the early years of her widowhood, in the 1860s. It was a scandal! And now here’s Victoria & Abdul, which opens 20 years later and stars Judi Dench (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel...
- 9/15/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Dami Judi Dench reprises the role of Queen Victoria in Victoria & Abdul. Here's our review...
Appreciating that every film is a risk to varying degrees, sometimes, you come across one that just seems like a safe bet on paper. Here’s one now. Victoria & Abdul sees Dame Judi Dench reprising the role of Queen Victoria, albeit this time near the end of the monarch’s life. Billy Elliot and War Horse screenwriter Lee Hall has penned the script, based on the book by Shrabani Basu. Philomena and The Queen director Stephen Frears takes the helm. And the story itself is a recently-ish discovered one, about an unlikely friendship that Queen Victoria struck up with a young Indian clerk by the name of Abdul Karim.
See related Twin Peaks season 3: Kyle MacLachlan chats about the finale Looking back at Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
What could possibly go wrong with that?...
Appreciating that every film is a risk to varying degrees, sometimes, you come across one that just seems like a safe bet on paper. Here’s one now. Victoria & Abdul sees Dame Judi Dench reprising the role of Queen Victoria, albeit this time near the end of the monarch’s life. Billy Elliot and War Horse screenwriter Lee Hall has penned the script, based on the book by Shrabani Basu. Philomena and The Queen director Stephen Frears takes the helm. And the story itself is a recently-ish discovered one, about an unlikely friendship that Queen Victoria struck up with a young Indian clerk by the name of Abdul Karim.
See related Twin Peaks season 3: Kyle MacLachlan chats about the finale Looking back at Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
What could possibly go wrong with that?...
- 9/14/2017
- Den of Geek
Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant got it’s UK premiere this Sunday at UK premiere at the Odeon, Leicester Square on Tuesday. Attending the red carpet event where Dame Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Shrabani Basu (Author of the book), Eddie Izzard, Fenella Woolgar, Lee Hall (Screenwriter) and Stephen Frears (Director).
The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s (Academy Award winner Judi Dench) remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to...
The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s (Academy Award winner Judi Dench) remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to...
- 9/9/2017
- by BollySpice Editors
- Bollyspice
Forget the “Fifty Shades” movies: For real dominance and submission, check out “Victoria & Abdul,” which is all about the platonic friendship between the elderly Queen Victoria and one of her Indian subjects. As though their difference in wealth and station weren’t enough of a relationship imbalance, the old queen’s interest is clearly piqued when the much-younger man stoops down and kisses her foot at a luncheon. Director Stephen Frears and writer Lee Hall (“War Horse”), adapting the book by Shrabani Basu, aren’t particularly interested in exploring the legacy of the United Kingdom’s rampant colonialism; frankly, they’re not even all.
- 9/3/2017
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
All this week, IndieWire will be rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including the very best indie cinema has to offer, all the awards contenders you need to know about, and even blockbuster fare that seems poised to please the most discerning tastes, all with an eye towards introducing you to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up. Next up: contenders who will rule the awards season, well into next year.
“mother!” (September 15)
The return of Darren Aronofsky should be enough to get any cinephile back to the theater, but the fact that “mother!” has remained so secretive with just under a month to go has only made anticipation higher. Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem...
“mother!” (September 15)
The return of Darren Aronofsky should be enough to get any cinephile back to the theater, but the fact that “mother!” has remained so secretive with just under a month to go has only made anticipation higher. Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem...
- 8/15/2017
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, Anne Thompson, Zack Sharf, Steve Greene, Michael Nordine, Chris O'Falt and Jamie Righetti
- Indiewire
All this week, IndieWire is rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including the very best indie cinema has to offer, all the awards contenders you need to know about, and even blockbuster fare that seems poised to please the most discerning tastes, all with an eye towards introducing you to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up. First up: indie films and festival favorites.
“mother!” (September 15)
The return of Darren Aronofsky should be enough to get any cinephile back to the theater, but the fact that “mother!” has remained so secretive with just under a month to go has only made anticipation higher. Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem play a couple whose lives are...
“mother!” (September 15)
The return of Darren Aronofsky should be enough to get any cinephile back to the theater, but the fact that “mother!” has remained so secretive with just under a month to go has only made anticipation higher. Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem play a couple whose lives are...
- 8/14/2017
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, Zack Sharf, Anne Thompson, Steve Greene, Michael Nordine, Chris O'Falt, Jude Dry and Jamie Righetti
- Indiewire
Up until a few years ago, Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, was the longest reigning monarch. That is until Queen Elizabeth II, her great-great granddaughter surpassed her in September 2015. Elizabeth has been Queen since 1952.
With a reign of 63 years, seven months and two days, Victoria was the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant in world history.
Focus Features has released the first poster and trailer for the upcoming Victoria & Abdul, from director Stephen Frears (The Queen,” “Philomena,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents”). The cast features Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Eddie Izzard, Ruth McCabe, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Wadham, Olivia Williams, Fenella Woolgar and Michael Gambon.
Many fans of the 1997’s Mrs. Brown wanted more of the story of a bereaved Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her relationship with a Scottish servant, John Brown (Billy Connolly), and the subsequent uproar it provoked.
With a reign of 63 years, seven months and two days, Victoria was the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant in world history.
Focus Features has released the first poster and trailer for the upcoming Victoria & Abdul, from director Stephen Frears (The Queen,” “Philomena,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents”). The cast features Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Eddie Izzard, Ruth McCabe, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Wadham, Olivia Williams, Fenella Woolgar and Michael Gambon.
Many fans of the 1997’s Mrs. Brown wanted more of the story of a bereaved Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her relationship with a Scottish servant, John Brown (Billy Connolly), and the subsequent uproar it provoked.
- 5/30/2017
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Tell your mom to maker her calendar, because Stephen Frears and Dame Judi Dench are coming in hot with another highbrow tearjerker, “Victoria and Abdul,” which released its first trailer today. Based on a true story, the film chronicles the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Dench) and an Indian clerk named Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) during the later years of her reign.
Read More: ‘Twin Peaks’: Naomi Watts Reunited With David Lynch After 15 Years, And It Was An Acting Powerhouse
A powerhouse team, the “Philomena” director and star team up with “Billy Elliot” screenwriter Lee Hall, who adapts from the novel by Shrabani Basu. Set in the twilight of her life, the Queen meets Abdul when he travels to London for her jubilee celebration. The unlikely duo form a convivial bond, much to the dismay of her protective and power hungry inner circle. As the friendship deepens, she begins...
Read More: ‘Twin Peaks’: Naomi Watts Reunited With David Lynch After 15 Years, And It Was An Acting Powerhouse
A powerhouse team, the “Philomena” director and star team up with “Billy Elliot” screenwriter Lee Hall, who adapts from the novel by Shrabani Basu. Set in the twilight of her life, the Queen meets Abdul when he travels to London for her jubilee celebration. The unlikely duo form a convivial bond, much to the dismay of her protective and power hungry inner circle. As the friendship deepens, she begins...
- 5/30/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Focus Features holds worldwide rights to the Working Title drama from Stephen Frears starring Judi Dench in what will be her second on-screen portrayal of Queen Victoria.
Shooting will take place at locations across Scotland, India, and England. Focus is financing Victoria And Abdul in association with BBC Films.
Ali Fazal of Furious 7 plays Abdul Karim, a young clerk who forges a close friendship with the queen that is frowned upon by her inner circle after he travels from India to participate in her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Dench played Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown (pictured) in 1997.
Billy Elliot screenwriter wrote the Victoria And Abdul script based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story Of The Queen’s Closest Confidant.
The cast includes Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Ruth McCabe, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Wadham, Olivia Williams and Fenella Woolgar.
Focus will open the film in limited release in North America on September...
Shooting will take place at locations across Scotland, India, and England. Focus is financing Victoria And Abdul in association with BBC Films.
Ali Fazal of Furious 7 plays Abdul Karim, a young clerk who forges a close friendship with the queen that is frowned upon by her inner circle after he travels from India to participate in her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Dench played Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown (pictured) in 1997.
Billy Elliot screenwriter wrote the Victoria And Abdul script based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story Of The Queen’s Closest Confidant.
The cast includes Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Ruth McCabe, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Wadham, Olivia Williams and Fenella Woolgar.
Focus will open the film in limited release in North America on September...
- 9/26/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Focus Features will release Stephen Frears’ Victoria And Abdul — the film that reunites the director with his Philomena star Judi Dench — on September 22, 2017 in a limited run before rolling it out the following weekend. The film, which also stars Bollywood actor Ali Fazal (Happy Bhaag Jayegi, Furious 7), is a true story about the friendship between a young clerk from India and Queen Victoria (Dench). Adapted by Lee Hall from Shrabani Basu's book Victoria & Abd…...
- 9/7/2016
- Deadline
Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench will star as Queen Victoria in the Stephen Frears-directed "Victoria and Abdul" for BBC Films, Focus Features and Universal Pictures.
The true story tale follows an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s remarkable rule. A young clerk travels from India to participate in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself.
Osccar and Tony winner Lee Hall will pen the screenplay based on Shrabani Basu’s book of the same name. Beeban Kidron, Tracey Seaward, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will produce and production is slated to kick off this year for a 2017 release.
Source: BBC Films...
The true story tale follows an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s remarkable rule. A young clerk travels from India to participate in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself.
Osccar and Tony winner Lee Hall will pen the screenplay based on Shrabani Basu’s book of the same name. Beeban Kidron, Tracey Seaward, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will produce and production is slated to kick off this year for a 2017 release.
Source: BBC Films...
- 6/17/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Mrs. Brown
Academy Award winner Judi Dench will star as Queen Victoria and Academy Award nominee Stephen Frears (The Queen) will direct Working Title Films’ Victoria And Abdul, to which Focus Features will hold worldwide rights as part of the company’s renewed global initiative. The movie is slated to go into production this year for a 2017 release. Focus will release the movie domestically and Universal Pictures International will distribute the film around the world. Victoria And Abdul is being co-financed by Focus in association with BBC Films.
The screenplay of Victoria And Abdul is by Lee Hall, an Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner for Working Title’s Billy Elliot; and is based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
Victoria And Abdul was developed by Beeban Kidron and Lee Hall at Cross Street Films with BBC Films, and is being produced by Ms.
Academy Award winner Judi Dench will star as Queen Victoria and Academy Award nominee Stephen Frears (The Queen) will direct Working Title Films’ Victoria And Abdul, to which Focus Features will hold worldwide rights as part of the company’s renewed global initiative. The movie is slated to go into production this year for a 2017 release. Focus will release the movie domestically and Universal Pictures International will distribute the film around the world. Victoria And Abdul is being co-financed by Focus in association with BBC Films.
The screenplay of Victoria And Abdul is by Lee Hall, an Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner for Working Title’s Billy Elliot; and is based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
Victoria And Abdul was developed by Beeban Kidron and Lee Hall at Cross Street Films with BBC Films, and is being produced by Ms.
- 6/17/2016
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Working Title Films to make Victoria and Abdul; Focus Features, Universal to distribute.
Nearly 20 years after her Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown, Dame Judi Dench is to return to the role for a film directed by Stephen Frears.
Victoria and Abdul will tell the true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s reign.
Working Title Films will make the film, set to go into production this year for a 2017 release, to which Focus Features will hold worldwide rights.
Focus will release the movie domestically and Universal Pictures International will distribute the film around the world. Victoria and Abdul is being co-financed by Focus in association with BBC Films.
The screenplay is by Lee Hall, an Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner for Billy Elliot; and is based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
The feature...
Nearly 20 years after her Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown, Dame Judi Dench is to return to the role for a film directed by Stephen Frears.
Victoria and Abdul will tell the true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria’s reign.
Working Title Films will make the film, set to go into production this year for a 2017 release, to which Focus Features will hold worldwide rights.
Focus will release the movie domestically and Universal Pictures International will distribute the film around the world. Victoria and Abdul is being co-financed by Focus in association with BBC Films.
The screenplay is by Lee Hall, an Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner for Billy Elliot; and is based on Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.
The feature...
- 6/17/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Dame Judi Dench and director Stephen Frears are teaming up for Victoria and Abdul. Working Title is producing in association with BBC Films. Focus Features will co-finance and distribute. The screenplay is by Lee Hall, who previously wrote Working Title's Billy Elliot and is based on Shrabani Basu's book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant. Victoria and Abdul was developed by Beeban Kidron and Lee Hall at Cross Street Films with BBC Films…...
- 6/17/2016
- Deadline
Exclusive: Zafar Hai and Tabrez Noorani have made a deal to option screen rights to Spy Princess: The Life Of Noor Inayat Khan by Shrabani Basu. Who are these guys? Hai, a director who is managing partner of Haimark Films International, has twice won the Filmfare Award (India’s equivalent of the Oscar) and helmed The Perfect Murder for Merchant Ivory. Noorani, his nephew, is the prolific line producer of Slumdog Millionaire, the Kathryn Bigelow-directed Zero Dark Thirty, the Ang Lee-directed Life Of Pi, Misson: Impossible–Ghost Protocol and Alexander. His company is India Take One Productions. Spy Princess tells the remarkable story of a heroic woman, Noor Inayat Khan. Under the code name Madeleine, she was trained by Britain’s Special Operations Executive and became the first female wireless operator to be flown into occupied France during World War II. She infiltrated into the Paris area, where within...
- 9/27/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Indian sitarist Anoushka Shankar will play at a special concert in the British House of Commons next month to raise funds for a memorial to legendary World War II spy Noor Inayat Khan..It is a privilege to play for Noor. She was a brave Indian woman who did not hesitate to sacrifice her life for freedom. The fact that she was a musician as well makes it even more special,. Anoushka said in a statement here.Anoushka, the daughter renowned sitar player Pandit Ravi Shankar, will be performing for free.The event will be hosted by Rt. Hon. Keith Vaz, the first Asian MP to be elected to British parliament.The Moscow-born Noor Khan, a descendant of Tipu Sultan, was a British secret agent who was sent to Nazi-occupied France as a radio operator.Widely acknowledged as an extraordinarily brave woman, Noor Khan landed in French territory in June...
- 11/7/2011
- Filmicafe
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