'Manto' to be screened at BFI London Film Festival

Nawazuddin Siddiqui's "Manto", which is helmed by actress-filmmaker Nandita Das, will be screened at the 62nd BFI London Film Festival.

"Since 'Fire', my first film 22 years ago, I have shown my film at the London Film Festival. Over the years, many of my films have been screened there. I love the multicultural audience of London," Nandita said in a statement to IANS.

"BFI has had repeated screenings of 'Firaaq' apart from showing at their festival. I am very much looking forward to taking 'Manto' to the festival this October," she added.

The fest will go on from October 10-21. And "Manto" will be screened at the festival on October 11-12.

"Manto", co-produced by HP Studios, Filmstoc and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, traces the life of writer Saadat Hasan Manto. Nawazuddin will be seen bringing the character to life.

The film follows the most tumultuous years in the life of iconoclastic writer Manto and those of the countries -- India and Pakistan -- which Manto inhabited and chronicled. The film stars Rasika Dugal as Manto's wife and Tahir Raj Bhasin, Rishi Kapoor and Divya Dutta in key roles.