MUMBAI: After two true-life characters, Umrao Jaan and Gayatri Devi, will Aishwarya Rai play Sonia Gandhi in the biographical epic on the Congress president?

Prolific London-based producer J Murli Manohar of Ramji Londonwale fame, who will produce the film on the Italy-born Congress chief, would certainly like it to be so. “We have bought the rights of Rashid Kidwai’s biography on Sonia Gandhi,” says Murli, who is also making Provoked with Aishwarya playing a battered wife.

Murli wants to opt for his perennial favourite Aishwarya, who’s done Jeans for him as well and is as Italian in looks as it gets. “We aren’t looking at the politics of Sonia Gandhi. We want to make the film on the woman not the politician. Jag (Jagmohan Mundhra) wants the film to reflect one catch-line — ‘She came for the love of her life. She stayed for the love of her land’.

According to him, “Jag is of the opinion that we should have an authentic international face to play Sonia. He has spoken to Carla Gugino, the actress from Spy Kids 2. He has also spoken to Preity Zinta.”

And Rajiv Gandhi?

“Various names are being thrown around. It’d have to be an international name like Jimmi Mistry... like how they did Gandhi with Ben Kingsley. We want this film to get optimum international attention,” says Murli.