Whose film is it anyway? Upcoming movies that filmmakers and actors are competing for

With filmmakers and actors wanting to make movies based on real-life stories and personalities, there is a clamour for subjects that can be brought alive on the celluloid. Though there is no dearth of fascinating life stories and happenings in India, what’s interesting is that the makers end up choosing the same subject and that, too, around the same time! For instance, both Salman Khan and John Abraham came up with the idea of making a biopic on wrestler Gama Pehlwan in 2014, but neither materialised. Now, Salman is producing a serial on the wrestler with his brother Sohail Khan playing the title role, while there’s no news on John’s film.  A couple of years ago, Ekta Kapoor bought the official rights for the film adaptation of the suspense novel Devotion Of Suspect X, which is said to have been the inspiration for Malayalam Drishyam. A miffed Ekta has sent a notice to the makers, but the film went on to be a box office hit spawning several remakes.   

In recent times, two films — Qaidi Band and Lucknow Central — with the theme of prisoners forming a music band in jail were released within a month of each other, but neither did well at the box office. Earlier too, there have been instances of multiple films made on the same subject like Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Chittagong based on the Chittagong Uprising. Freedom fighter

Bhagat Singh inspired three filmmakers at the same time. In fact, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Shaheed and Shaheed-E-Azam even released on the same day!

And, now, again we see the same subjects becoming the bone of contention between actors and filmmakers. Akshaye Rathi, leading exhibitor and analyst, says, “While creativity is subjective, in case of most films, it’s not like rights have been bought to make them. It could be plagiarism or trying to cash in on an interesting subject. It’s nice and interesting that people are thinking of the same subject at the same time, but ultimately, what they need to focus on is making a truly engaging film by putting significant time and money in it.”

A lowdown on such films in the pipeline...

Film: Based on Rudraksha Jena

Contenders: Nila Madhab Panda and Ujjwal Chatterjee
A few days ago, there was news of I Am Kalam director Nila Madhab Panda gearing up to make a biopic on Rudraksha Jena, the coach of the rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) with Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead. The film is slated to go on floors early next year and will be shot in India and the UK. Now, another National-Award winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee is also planning a film on Jena, who coached the under-14 team to victory in London, and has approached Farhan Akhtar for the role. He claims to have the rights to Jena’s story. The movie for which he has roped in former British footballer Paul Walsh will roll in November. In an interview, he said he was shocked to know that another film is being planned on the same subject.  

Film: Based on Maharaja of Jamnagar

Contenders: Ashutosh Gowariker and Omung Kumar
First there were reports of Ashutosh Gowariker making a film based on Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji who helped save the lives of 640 Polish children during World War II by providing refuge to the orphans at his Jamnagar palace. A few days later, Omung Kumar announced a film on the same subject with Sanjay Dutt playing the role of the Maharaja. His film was to go on the floors by the end of next year. But now there is a twist to the tale, as the heirs of the Maharaja, Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari have raised an objection and sent a legal notice to the maker saying that they did not take the permission of the family before kickstarting the project.

Film: Based on Battle of Saragarhi

Contenders: Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn, Rajkumar Santoshi
Ajay Devgn had announced the sequel of Son of Sardaar last year in June. The film’s plot was to be the historical Battle of Saragarhi that was fought between Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army and Pashtun Orakzai tribesmen. The Sikhs, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, chose to fight to death, in what is considered by some military historians as one of history’s greatest last-stands. Earlier this year, Karan Johar and Salman Khan came together to co-produce a film on the same subject with Akshay Kumar playing the lead role. He will start shooting for it in December. Then, there is Rajkumar Santoshi who is making his version with Randeep Hooda playing Havildar Singh. However, the film has hit a roadblock due to differences between the producers and the director.

Film: Based on coalmine hero JS Gill

Contenders: Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn
In May this year, there were reports of Akshay Kumar playing coal mine engineer JS Gill, who rescued 64 miners trapped in a mine in Raniganj. A month later, there was news that Ajay and not Askhay is playing the coalmine hero and that the makers have obtained the rights and work on the script has already begun. Tentatively titled Capsule Gill, it is to be helmed by Rustom director Tinu Suresh Desai.