Amazon Studios is gearing up for Sheela, in which Barry Levinson is set to direct with Priyanka Chopra portraying the titular real life character as Ma Anand Sheela according to Deadline.
Sheela served as personal secretary to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh over a span of four years from 1981 to 1985. During that time, the secretary contributed to Rajneesh’s plan to relocate supporters by the thousands to a small town in Wasco County, Oregon. Sheela ascended to ranks of president for the community, but would shortly discover that this appointment inspired a resistance from the locals, which sparked a war within the county.
Amazon Studios did not leave further comment, however the film will be handled by Permut Presentations’ David Permut, who will serve as a producer alongside Levinson and his Baltimore Pictures banner. Jason Sosnoff, and Chopra will also contribute to production through her Purple Pebble America banner.
The film’s story was recently made into a critically-acclaimed Netflix documentary titled Wild Wild Country. Chopra was recently cast as a lead in the upcoming Matrix reboot for Warner Bros, and currently maintains starring roles in Netflix films such as We Can Be Heroes and Ramin Bahrani’s recent film The White Tiger.