First Trailer: Keira Knightley, Jude Law in Anna Karenina

Keira Knightley plays the titular character in Anna Karenina while Jude Law plays her husband and Aaron Johnson portrays her young lover Count Vronsky in the epic romance. VIDEO INSIDE

Keira Knightley plays the titular character in Anna Karenina while Jude Law plays her husband in the film. Hollywood actor Aaron Johnson will portray her young lover Count Vronsky in the epic romance.

HT Image

Opening with a dramatic music, the film's plot becomes rather evident soon enough. The story, set in 19th century Russia, follows a woman in a loveless marriage who seeks love elsewhere only to complicate her life. The passion, energy and romance is palpable sprinkled with insinuations of jealousy and self-righteousness.

Director Joe Wright has previously worked with Knightley on Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, and also directed The Soloist and Hanna. Renowned playwright Tom Stoppard, who wrote Brazil and the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love in 1998, will adapt the classic novel by Leo Tolstoy for the screen.

Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Hanna), Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice), Oscar nominee Emily Watson, and Andrea Riseborough (Made in Dagenham), Kelly Macdonald (Brave) also co-star in the film.

Anna Karenina has two other film adaptations, one starred Greta Garbo in 1935 and the other saw Sophie Marceau as the lead in 1997.

Anna Karenina will be released in the second half of 2012.

(With inputs from AFP Relaxnews)