The Hindi film industry has been obsessed with biopics for a while now. The trend started by making biopics of people who achieved tremendous success or had an extraordinary story before their passing, but slowly even the stories of successful living people started coming on screen. And most of the time, they are a recipe for success.
Over the past couple of weeks, there had been rumours floating around that filmmaker Karan Johar is keen on making a biopic on the 20th century freedom fighter Usha Mehta. However, according to a report in Mid-Day, there is another party interested in telling Mehta’s story, and it’s her own nephew Ketan Mehta.
The report states that it is heard that Ketan is developing a film on the Gandhian who had helped establish Congress Radio. The underground radio station amplified Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peaceful rebellion during the Quit India movement.
The report also states that the makers have narrowed down their choice for the lead role of Mehta to the Saand Ki Aankh duo of Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar. “Ketan has simultaneously begun pre-production, and aims to kick off the film by late 2021. He has narrowed down his choices for the lead to Taapsee and Bhumi. Given the actors’ busy date diaries after the second lockdown, the casting will be locked by November,” the report said.
This is not the first time for Ketan to helm a biopic. Before this, he had directed the 2005 film, Mangal Pandey: The Rising and the 2015 release, Manjhi: The Mountain Man. Meanwhile, Taapsee has recently wrapped up the shoot of her maiden production, Blurr, and has multiple completed films up for release including Rashmi Rocket, Do Baara and Looop Lapeta. She also has to start work on Shabash Mithu soon. Whereas Bhumi has Badhaai Do, Mr Lele and Raksha Bandhan in her kitty.
Image source: SpotboyE archives, Instagram/taapsee/bhumipednekar