Rushdie visits Mumbai for ‘Midnight’s Children’ film

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MUMBAI - Eminent novelist Salman Rushdie was on a two-day visit to Mumbai last month to meet some Bollywood personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, and chalk out details for the film adaptation of his book “Midnight’s Children”.

Rushdie was in Mumbai with filmmaker Deepa Mehta. The two are collaborating on a film version of “Midnight’s Children”.

Among the Bollywood clan that Rusdhie visited during his Dec 5-6 stay in Mumbai was Amitabh Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shahana Goswami and Shabana-Javed Akhtar.

Deepa Mehta who accompanied Rushdie through his Bollywood yatra says he loved every minute of his stay in Mumbai.

“As far as I could see there’s no fear to his life. He travels in a relaxed atmosphere. I couldn’t see any security arrangements. Salman loved every minute of his stay in Mumbai. He loved meeting Mr Bachchan whom he was really keen to meet,” she said.

Rushdie and Mehta have been friends for years now. “We haven’t become associated because of ‘Midnight’s Children’. We know each from long before. In fact, he allowed his book to be filmed by me only because his comfort level with me is so high.”

Rushdie has collaborated on the screenplay of “Midnight’s Children” with Deepa. He’s also taken a keen interest in the film’s casting which began with Shabana Azmi last year.

As more and more names get added to the cast, Rushdie is expected to return to Mumbai more often.