Adil Hussain to star in Nilakshi Sengupta's Blue: The Colour Of Guilt

Adil Hussain will star in writer-director Nilakshi Sengupta's directorial debut Blue: The Colour Of Guilt. The film is reportedly a modern-day story set in the backdrop of the 1859 Indigo Rebellion of Bengal. The project, written by Sengupta, has been shortlisted for the NFDC Film Bazaar Online Co-Production Market.

Describing the film, Hussain said, "Blue is a story that hasn't been told yet. It’s one of the darkest hours of Indian history and it's a story that needs to be told. And the way Nilakshi has written the screenplay I think it's one of the most interesting ways to tell the story. I trust Nilakshi completely on this."

Sengupta has been a director-producer for over 20 years in the fields of advertising and corporate content creation.

The filmmaker has also been a film festival curator and sits on a few jury panels. She has also authored the books Tina and her Magic Kettle and Tina goes to Pompeii.

Describing her story, Sengupta said, "The story of Indigo Rebellion is at the backdrop — an event that many Indians have forgotten and many International historians are unaware of. No film to date has included this subject yet. The story deals with the collective ancestral guilt and the relationships of individuals today. This is their story of modern-day interactions."

On the choice of casting Hussain, the filmmaker said, "When I thought of the character of Dr Kabir Malik, there was no one else who would come to my mind other than Adil. His subtlety of acting and vast knowledge of literature will lend the perfect sensitivity that this character needs. I am grateful he liked the subject and agreed. I am looking forward to a great exchange of creativity ahead.”

Hussain was last seen in the Tribeca Festival feature India Sweets and Spices. The actor has also signed up for Riding On The Moon Boat, a project by another first-time filmmaker, Triparna Bannerjee.