Madhu Mantena to bankroll film based on 13th century Kashmiri Hindu queen Kota Rani

Producer Madhu Mantena is all set to bankroll a film based on the life and times of Kota Rani, the last Hindu queen to rule over Kashmir. [caption id=“attachment_7232171” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Cover of Rakesh K Kaul’s The Last Queen of Kashmir, based on the life of Kota Rani. Image from Twitter[/caption] According to DNA, the film will centre on the 13th century monarch, who has become an icon of resistance in Kashmir, and how she protected the valley from being attacked by invaders. The daughter of Lohara dynasty’s Ramachandra, Kota Rani, is famed for her beauty and exceptional administrative skills. She was instrumental behind the construction of Kute Kol, the canal that saved Kashmir from frequent flooding. Speaking about the project to the publication, Mantena says, “It’s a matter of great surprise that as Indians we don’t know enough or at all about a personality like Kota Rani. It would be no exaggeration to compare her to Cleopatra, and a lot of things that we are witnessing today are directly related to her story. Her life was extremely dramatic, and she is perhaps one of the most able woman rulers India has produced till now. It would be a shame not to know about her.” Shibashish Sarkar, who will co-produce the film via Reliance Entertainment, says that although she is one of the stalwarts of the country, very few people know her. He adds that he wants the film to reach as many people as possible. Within days of the government announcing the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, Bollywood filmmakers rushed to register film titles related to the decision. According to a report by  The Quint, around 20 to 30 producers have approached the Indian Motion Pictures’ Producers’ Association (IMPPA) to register the titles Article 370 and Article 35A.  Other titles are Kashmir Hamara Hai and the Hindi translation of Article 370 and Article 35A - Dhara 370 and Dhara 35 A. Article 370 Scrapped, Article 35A, Article 370 Abolished, Article 35A Scrapped, and Kashmir Mein Tiranga are also in demand.