Biopic About Assassinated Benazir Bhutto Already In The Planning

Former Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto was assassinated last Thursday, throwing the country in to turmoil ahead of planned democratic elections. Bhutto was such a star in Pakistan that just a week after her tragic death, plans have been revealed to make a biopic of her life in her native Pakistan.

The Hollywood Reporter claims that Karachi-based Skies Unlimited Films will be making the film, in collaboration with Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. The film is reported to already be in pre-production, with a script penned by Pakistani writer-poet Aqeel Ahmad Ruby.

Aneela Khan, a producer with Skies Unlimited, said:

“[The film’s director] will soon be announced. We have not decided [who will play Bhutto] yet. It could be someone famous, or a completely new face. There are possibilities that some of the scenes would be shot in India, but we are not sure.”

“The basic motive behind this announcement is just to dedicate this film to Benazir Bhutto. The film is going to be released internationally, and we don’t want to create any controversy.”

The problem is, Bhutto was a character who provoked such diverse reactions, that any film dedicated to her life is bound to provoke some controversy, intentionally or not.