Madhur Bhandarkar is heading into historical territory. The National Award-winning, Padma Shri-honoured filmmaker has announced that his next project will be a film on the life of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the educationist, barrister and statesman who founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
The film, working title Syama – The Missing Chapter, will follow Madhur’s upcoming release The Wives of Bollywood. It is backed by producer Aditya Kumar Halwasiya and co-produced by Bhandarkar Entertainment and AKH Ventures.
According to the makers, the film will blend historical drama with the tension of a political thriller. It will trace the story of a man who held firm to his convictions even when that meant walking away from power. Madhur said the project is a first for him, since he has never before made a film on a historical personality, and called it both a challenge and a demanding task. He said he hopes to present this chapter of Indian history with honesty, sensitivity and a fresh perspective.
Madhur Bhandarkar's film isn't the only screen project on Mukherjee. Directors Suchandra X Vaaniya and Chaandroday Pal announced a Bengali-Hindi biopic titled Shyama on Mukherjee's birth anniversary this year. It is set against the Partition-era years of 1945 to 1953. In an interview with The Statesman, Vaaniya said it was in scripting and research, with filming planned for after the monsoon. It is not yet clear how the two projects will differ in focus or timing.
Madhur’s filmography includes Chandni Bar, Page 3, Fashion and Heroine. His 2017 film Indu Sarkar, set during the Emergency, drew sharp criticism from the Congress, which called it sponsored. He rejected that, saying a sponsored film would have had a bigger budget and star cast, and denied that his political leanings dictate the stories he tells.
With a figure as closely tied to Partition and the political landscape that followed as Mukherjee, Syama – The Missing Chapter is likely to draw close attention, and debate, once more details emerge.
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