Mallika Sherawat to play Naagin

For the first time in the history of Indian cinema a Hollywood director will soon embark on a Bollywood film. Jennifer Lynch, daughter of four time Oscar nominee and two times Cannes Film Festival winner, David Lynch, is all set to shoot Hindi language Bollywood film. Interestingly her debut venture is about a subject that has always intrigued the west. The film is called Naagin-The Snake Woman and brings back to life the ancient myth concerning the Nag-Naagin relationship.

Lynch's last film Surveillance starring Bill Pullman and Julia Ormand was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year. And it is none other than Bollywood siren Mallika Sherawat who has been zeroed in on the title role of a Naagin. Mallika will be the fifth actress to play the legendary character of a Naagin. Vyjayantimala, Reena Roy, Sridevi and Manisha Koirala are the famous Bollywood actresses who had enacted this legendary character previously.

The film also stars Irrfan Khan in a role of a cop who has been given the task to pin down the Naagin and destroy her legendary powers. Hollywood's special effects wizard Robert Kurtzman has been roped in to create some unbelievable graphics for the film. Produced by Ratan Jain's Venus Records and Tapes, Naagin-The Snake Woman has Vikram Singh and Govind Menon as its co-producers.

The shooting starts in various locations and sets, in the last week of July, in a start to finish schedule. Casting is currently on for the rest of the parts in the film. Producer Ratan Jain is very upbeat about the development. Says he, "Venus films is known for its commercial family entertainers. There is lot of work happening between Hollywood and Bollywood and the film with Jennifer lynch starring Mallika Sherawat is a step towards it.

It was a wonderful experience working with Mallika Sherawat in Maan Gaye Mughall-e-Azam. And hence it was natural that we take it further. She is a thorough professional. And I hope that with this film, Venus Films will be associated with more International films in the near future.