It’s World Mathematics Day, and Vidya Balan has taken the occasion to celebrate ‘human computer’ Shakuntala Devi. The actor will be essaying the role of the mathematical genius in her upcoming film.
Vidya took to Instagram to share a motion poster from the film. “She changed the way the world perceived numbers! Celebrating the math genius #ShakuntalaDevi on #WorldMathematicsDay,” she wrote.
Earlier, Vidya had taken to Twitter to share the first look from the film. Sporting a saree with her hair done in a short bob, Vidya is ready to own the role.
“She was extraordinary, in every sense of the word! Know the story of the child prodigy & the human computer, #ShakuntalaDevi,” she wrote. Sanya Malhotra will play Vidya’s daughter.
The film will be directed by Anu Menon, who has previously worked on Amazon Prime Video web series Four More Shots Please!, and is being backed by Abundantia Entertainment, the production house behind films such as Airlift and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha.
Shakuntala Devi earned the moniker ‘human computer’ for her impressive ability to memorise and compute numbers in record time, a talent that earned her a spot in The Guinness Book of World Records in 1982. She also authored several books on several subjects such as arithmetic, puzzles and astrology during her lifetime. Her book, The World of Homosexuals, is considered to be the first study of homosexuality in India.
Speaking about her role, Vidya Balan had said in a statement:
“I am extremely excited to play the human computer, Shakuntala Devi, on the big screen. She was truly someone who embraced her individuality, had a strong feminist voice and braved many a naysayer to reach the pinnacle of success. But what truly fascinates me is that you wouldn’t normally associate a fun person with math... and she completely turns that perception on its head.”Vidya Balan, actor
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