Melanie Laurent joins Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan in 'Long Years Ago'

Pic: AP

French actor and filmmaker Melanie Laurent, best known her work in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’, has joined Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan in filmmaker

Ritesh Batra

’s upcoming feature film ‘Long Years Ago’.The comedy-drama that went into production in Mumbai, is reportedly set in 1991 and revolves around a family that has spent years avoiding difficult conversations.

According to the official description, ‘Long Years Ago’ “is the story of a family that has gone too long without saying the things that matter, and what happens when they’re finally forced to find the words.

”Speaking about the project, Batra expressed his excitement about bringing the cast together. “I am tremendously honored to be working with Saif, Vidya and Melanie, and to see these great actors bring characters that are so close to my heart to life,” the filmmaker said to Deadline.Laurent also spoke about her long-standing connection with the director, revealing that they had discussed the possibility of working together years ago. “I met Ritesh fifteen years ago at the Marrakech Film Festival, and we shared this dream to meet in Mumbai one day. I immediately loved this new project, and I am more than honoured and happy to be a part of it,” she said in a statement to Deadline.Vidya, on the other hand, shared her excitement to reunite with Saif, decades after starring together in 'Parineeta'.

She said, "There’s such a beautiful sensitivity and honesty to his storytelling. What makes this even more special is that I get to reunite with Saif after Parineeta, my very first film! I can’t wait to experience the magic of working with both Ritesh and Saif."Leading man Saif, also shared his excitement about the film and present the audience with a 'deeply moving story'.Batra first gained international recognition with his 2013 feature ‘The Lunchbox’, starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to become one of the notable Indian releases of the year. He subsequently directed ‘Our Souls at Night’, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, and ‘Photograph’, featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.Laurent, meanwhile, has built an international career as an actor and filmmaker. She gained widespread recognition for her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in ‘Inglourious Basterds’ and has since appeared in several international productions.