Tareekh pe tareekh — that seems to be the fate of the Hindi adaptation of the Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro-starrer The Intern (2015).
Since Deepika Padukone’s KA Productions acquired the rights to the film — initially set to star Rishi Kapoor — in 2020, the project has faced multiple delays. The senior actor’s passing left the film without an anchor until Amitabh Bachchan stepped in to play the senior character. Fresh announcements were made, but the cameras never rolled. The pandemic, Padukone’s maternity break, and several shifting schedules kept pushing the start date further.
(L-R) Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro in ‘The Intern’
For five years, the film remained in limbo, despite boasting marquee names and studio backing. Now, the Jawan (2023) actor has stepped up again to change that. A source reveals that while Padukone will continue to produce the film, she may no longer act in it. “This time, Deepika will step away from acting in the film to serve solely as a producer, overseeing the creative and logistical reboot. A new leading lady is being cast to play the part she was once slated to perform.”
Apparently, the actor hopes to “explore her career further as a creator”. The source adds, “The Intern is the first of five projects she plans to mount in the coming year. She is looking to tell stories that are globally relevant.”
Did you know?
A still from ‘Unicorn Ni Notte’
‘The Intern’ got a Japanese remake as the TV show ‘Unicorn Ni Notte’ in 2022. While Hidetoshi Nishijima played the Robert De Niro role, Mei Nagano stepped into Anne Hathaway’s part.