Dadasaheb Phalke’s legacy, the father of Indian cinema, shall be retold on the screen. When the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour in Indian cinema, it would be only natural that a film on the life of the person who initiated the art of cinema-making in India is being made.
There has been increased rumour-making in recent months around two big-screen big-shots showing interest in making a biopic of Dadasaheb Phalke’s incredible life. One rumored project from Tollywood suggested that acclaimed director S.S. Rajamouli would present the film, with S.S. Karthikeya and Varun Gupta attached as producers and Nitin Kakkar as the director. There was also buzz that Jr. NTR might take on the challenging role of Phalke.
At the same time, Bollywood circles were abuzz with reports of a separate project in the works, helmed by the powerful duo of Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani.
Now, clearing the confusion, Dadasaheb Phalke’s grandson, Chandrashekhar Sreekrishna, has officially spoken out about the biopic. In a recent statement, he confirmed that while he had heard rumors about the Rajamouli-led version, no one from that camp had contacted him directly.
However, he revealed that Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani’s team had been working closely with him for the past three years. According to Chandrashekhar, their assistant producer has met him numerous times, gathering detailed insights about Phalke’s life and legacy. He praised the team’s sincere efforts and confirmed his full support for the project.
Chandrashekhar expressed his excitement at Aamir Khan potentially playing his grandfather on screen. He also suggested that Vidya Balan would be an ideal choice for the role of Saraswatibai Phalke, Dadasaheb Phalke’s wife.
He further added that the script has been in development for nearly four years — a clear indication of the extensive research and dedication going into the film. As per industry insiders, the biopic is expected to go on floors starting October.