Kiara Advani To Lead Karram Kurram, Ashutosh Gowariker's Film About The Woman Behind Lijjat Pappad

Actress Kiara Advani, who was launched by Akshay Kumar in 2014 with Fugly, is now all set to star in filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's next, titled Karram Kurram. Advani will play the lead in the film which is based on the story of Indian women’s cooperative Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, popularly known as ‘Lijjat’ (meaning ‘tasty’ in Gujarati). She will play the role of one of the women who started the popular pappad brand.

Swati R Paradkar, president of the Indian women's cooperative, had earlier told Mumbai Mirror, “We are honoured that Ashutosh Gowariker is making a film on Lijjat. The journey is not only fascinating but also inspiring for people.” Lijjat brand is the brainchild of seven Gujarati homemakers who started the business in the 1950s with a loan of Rs 80. “We were semi-literate, which restricted our chances to get jobs. But we realised our papad-making expertise could be used to earn small amounts of money to help our husbands reduce their financial responsibility,” one of the founders Jaswantiben Popat had told BBC in an interview.

By 2018, the annual turnover for the company reportedly stood at Rs 800 crore, according to various reports. A report by Femina placed the business' worth at Rs 1,600 crores in March 2020.

Kiara Advani will star in Karram Kurram as the woman who heads the entire organisation that is solely run by women. The film aims to bring on screen "the tale of women empowerment and how the women’s cooperative group went on to establish a monopoly in the commercial papad market," Hindustan Times reported. Almost 62 years later, more than 43,000 women across the country are employed in the company.

The organisation also received recognition from Khadi and Village Industries Commission as a village industry.

Take a look at this iconic Lijjat Papad ad from where Gowariker's film derives its name:

&feature=emb_logo

Also Read: Neetu Kapoor Remembers Rishi Kapoor As She Begins Film Shooting, Says ‘I Know You Are With Me’

Advani was last seen opposite Akshay Kumar in Laxmii. She is currently shooting for Jug Jugg Jeeyo alongside Varun Dhawan, Anil Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor. Her upcoming film Indoo Ki Jawani is slated for a theatrical release in December 2020.

Feature Photo credit: Kiara Advani/Instagram

Read More Stories By Ria Das