Anupam Kher to play Manmohan Singh in Movie

An adaptation of Sanjaya Baru’s controversial book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh will hit the silver screen with Bollywood actor Anupam Kher playing the role of the former Indian PM.

A report in the Economic Times said the movie is expected to be released in December 2018, months before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The book by the Baru, Singh’s former media adviser, was released ahead of the 2014 general elections.

In the book, Baru had said that Manmohan Singh had been “defanged” by the Congress party with party chief Sonia Gandhi deciding on key appointments to the Cabinet and to the Prime Minister’s Office as he seemed to “surrender” to her and to the alliance partners in the UPA government. Baru, PM’s media adviser between 2004 and 2008, said Singh had told him that there could not be two centres of power.

The movie is being produced by Sunil Bohra and will be directed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte. The screenplay has reportedly been written by National award-winning director Hansal Mehta. ET quoted Bohra as saying that the film will be grander than Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning film Gandhi.

“The research is already over. Auditioning for the remaining cast is in its final lap,” said Bohra.

Kher confirmed being part of the project. “Acting the role of anyone in contemporary history is extremely challenging, as comparisons are bound to be instant and inevitable. But as I have always revelled in challenges, I look forward to the experience of portraying PM Manmohan Singh,” he told ET.