Proposal for DiCaprio to Play Rumi

English translations of Rumi's poetry have been among the best-selling poetry books in America over the past two decades. DiCaprio and Downey Jr. are the initial candidates to play the roles of Rumi and Shams Tabrizi.

Hollywood cinema is set to turn the life story of Mowlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi, the great 13th-century Persian poet, into a film.

David Franzoni, the Oscar-winning Hollywood screenwriter who has successful screenplays like "Gladiator" in his portfolio, announced this to the British newspaper The Guardian, reporting on his initial research for writing the screenplay and a trip to Turkey with the producer of the Rumi film.

According to the British newspaper "The Daily Telegraph," the interesting point of this news is the possible casting of 41-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, the renowned actor and winner of the 2016 Hollywood Oscar, in the role of Rumi, and the casting of 51-year-old "Robert Downey Jr.," another prominent Hollywood actor, in the role of Shams Tabrizi.

DiCaprio won the 2016 Oscar for his excellent performance in the film "The Revenant," directed by "Alejandro González Iñárritu."

Although, according to the screenwriter, the casting of these two actors as the final choices for the film about Rumi's life has not yet been confirmed, and he is still in the research and writing phase of the Rumi screenplay, the screenwriter stated that if everything goes well according to predictions, the production of this cinematic project is set to begin next year.

Given the recognition and popularity of the works of Mowlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi (or Balkhi) in America and the world, it is predicted that this film, if made, will become one of the main nominees for major international cinema awards.

Franzoni told The Guardian that he traveled to the cities of Istanbul and Konya (Rumi's mausoleum) last week for research and discussions with Rumi scholars.

Despite the presence of prominent Rumi scholars in the poet's country of birth, this Hollywood screenwriter has not spoken of the possibility of traveling to Iran for research and interviews with Rumi scholars.

Also, no discussion has yet been raised about the possible location for the production and filming of this cinematic work.

It is worth noting that over the past two decades, translations of Rumi's poetry in America have become the best-selling poetry books in the country, and sales of Rumi's works have even surpassed those of famous English poets such as Shakespeare and Blake.

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Proposal for DiCaprio to Play Rumi

Source: Asr Iran

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