Bhopal: Stage-to-film Adaptation Of Habib Tanvir’s Classic Charandas Chor

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Theatre doyen late Habib Tanvir’s classic play, Charandas Chor, will be made into a Hindi feature film. Karmic Films has acquired the rights of iconic play from Nageen Tanvir, the daughter of the ace theatre director, playwright and actor.

The film, which will be of 2.15-2.30 hours is likely to be released in January 2025. “The pre-production work including casting has begun and we hope to complete it in next four months,” said Kundan Judge who is adapting the play for the screen. Kundan said the film would be shot mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The exact locations are yet to be decided.

Written and directed by Habib Tanvir, Charandas Chor is a hilarious play centred on an honest thief. Charandas is a thief but has taken five vows including that he would never lie. The play, first staged in 1975, went on to win prestigious Fringe First award at Edinburgh Fringe Festival for its powerful narrative.

“My father, who is an industrialist, was an admirer of Tanvir sahib and had met him on several occasions,” Kundan told Free Press. She saw the play in Bengaluru six months back and was bowled over. “The way it sent the audience into splits could only be seen to be believed,” she said.

According to Kundan, the film will cost between Rs 75 - Rs 100 crore. “Chief protagonist will be someone from Bollywood but theatre artistes from MP will get roles in it,” she said. Kundan said film adaptation would be set in contemporary times.