Mumbai, Sep 21 : Back in 2018, actress Rasika Dugal essayed the role of Safia Manto in the biographical drama "Manto", which is based on the life of the prominent Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto.

Posting a couple of stills from Nandita Das' directorial, Rasika thanked the director for believing in her.

She wrote on the photo-sharing app, "Some memories just get stronger with time... 7 years since #MantoTheFilm released.Thank you @nanditadasofficial for fighting for the film and for fighting to keep me in it! (sic)"

Showing gratitude for her co-star Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rasika added, "and @nawazuddin. siddiqui for being the most generous co- traveller in this journey (Red heart emoji). Till we work together again (Fingers crissed emoji) #7YearsOfManto #7YearsOfSafia."

Set against the backdrop of 1940s India, the film provides a biographical account of writer Saadat Hasan Manto's life. "Manto" chronicles the most turbulent four years in his life following the partition of India and Pakistan.

With Nawazuddin in the titular role, "Manto" also stars Tahir Raj Bhasin as Shyam, Feryna Wazheir as Nargis, Nancy Thakkar as Suraiya, Javed Akhtar as Abid Ali Abid, Chandan Roy Sanyal as Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Vinod Nagpal as Bishan Singh, Rishi Kapoor as Film Producer, Inaamulhaq as Hamid, Ranvir Shorey as Ishar Singh, Rajshri Deshpande as Ismat Chugtai, Ila Arun as Jaddanbai, Divya Dutta as Kulwant Kaur, Paresh Rawal as Pimp, and Tillotama Shome as Prostitute, along with others.

"Manto" premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and reached the cinema halls on September 21, 2018.

Jointly bankrolled by HP Studios, FilmStoc, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, and Nandita Das Initiatives, "Manto" enjoyed the background score provided by Zakir Hussain.

While the camera work for the drama has been performed by Kartik Vijay, A. Sreekar Prasad, is the head of the editing department.

/IANS