For a long time now, reports of SS Rajamouli planning a movie on the father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, with Jr NTR have been making headlines. However, if a recent report by Bollywood Hungama
is to be believed, the Devara actor has decided to opt out of the film. Reportedly, Jr NTR wasn’t satisfied with the fact that the film would not be directed by SS Rajamouli but by his son, Karthik. Besides this, Jr NTR also thought that since Aamir Khan is also working on a similar movie, there is no point in doing another film on the same lines.
“Firstly, at the moment NTR doesn’t want to play a real-life character, and that too a legend from the past. Secondly, the Phalke biopic was to be directed not by Rajamouli but his son Karthik. Thirdly and most importantly, Aamir Khan is doing a Dadasaheb Phalke biopic directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Doing another of the same serves no purpose,” a source cited by the entertainment portal claimed.
Prabhas Approached After Jr NTR?
This comes days after a report by Mid-Day claimed that since Jr NTR’s dates were not available for Dadasaheb Phalke film, the makers then turned to Prabhas, who shares a long-standing creative bond with Rajamouli after the success of the Baahubali franchise. Yet, the actor too appears to be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
The report further revealed that Prabhas will be “completely occupied” through 2025 and much of 2026, with major films like Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2 taking precedence.
Aamir Khan Also Working On Dadasaheb Phalke Biopic
It is not a secret that Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani, who previously worked on PK and 3 Idiots, are reuniting for yet another film – this time for a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, the man known as the father of Indian cinema.
The life of Dadasaheb Phalke is an important chapter in Indian film history. He made Raja Harishchandra, India’s first full-length feature film, back in 1913. Telling his story on the big screen will be a big moment for Indian cinema.
According to reports, the team is leaving no stone unturned to ensure authenticity. FX studios in Los Angeles have already created AI-powered visual references to help recreate the time period of the story. Interestingly, the script has been in the works for over four years. It’s being shaped by a talented writing team, including Rajkumar Hirani himself, along with Abhijat Joshi, Hindukush Bharadwaj, and Avishkar Bharadwaj.