Oplev to direct Kahaani remake for YRF

Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Richard Regen (Tehran) have scripted the adaptation. Oplev’s credits include the original Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Released in 2012, Kahaani was directed by Sujoy Ghosh and starred Vidya Balan as a woman who travels to Kolkata to search for her missing husband. In the remake, Balan’s character will become an American woman.

The remake will be produced and financed by YRF Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based production arm of India’s Yash Raj Films, with CEO Uday Chopra serving as producer and Jonathan Reiman, head of production & development, serving as executive producer.

YRF Entertainment recently financed Cannes opening film Grace Of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman, which it produced with Pierre-Ange le Pogam’s Stone Angels and Arash Amel. YRF’s upcoming projects include Amel’s adaptation of Chris Greenhalgh’s novel, Seducing Ingrid Bergman.

“Niels is the perfect director to transform the appeal of Kahaani to Deity,” said Chopra. “Niels has an elevated understanding of both international thrillers and strong female characters and his vision for capturing the vibrancy and energy of contemporary Kolkata will appeal to audiences in the US and worldwide.”

“Deity will be a compelling and exciting thriller with complex and interesting characters,” said Oplev. “A neo-realistic style to story and images will take the audience deep into Calcutta’s many different levels. A fascinating clash between American and Indian culture”.

Deity starts production in February 2015 and will be shot on location in Kolkata.