Efforts on to rope in Vijay Sethupathi to play Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah in biopic

The businessmen, who are Tangadagi’s followers, expressed their wish to bankroll the biopic but the opposition leader is yet to make a call on the proposal.

Tangadagi clarified that he is not part of the production team.  “I am not the producer,” he told South First. “It is impossible to produce a movie now since the Assembly elections are close.”

Siddaramaiah. (Sourced)

“My followers expressed their wish to make a movie on Siddaramaiah. I facilitated a meeting with Siddaramaiah. At the meeting, the producers made the proposal and tried to convince him,” the former minister said, adding that the 75-year-old Siddaramaiah did not explicitly approve the project.

He later informed South First that “Siddaramaiah has clearly said that he will not be a part (acting) of the film.”

Vijay Sethupathi to play Siddaramaiah?

“The producers are now finalising the cast, writer and director. They are waiting for the former chief minister’s nod to speed up the pre-production works,” Tangadagi added.

Even as the producers are waiting with crossed fingers, discussions are on over the cast, especially over who will play Siddaramaiah.

The producers are planning to approach Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi, popularly known as Makala Sevlan, to play the role of the former chief minister, reliable sources said.

Vijay Sethupathi won the Best Actor Award for his performance in ‘Maamanithan.’ (Wikimedia Commons)

Unconfirmed reports said the producers have already approached Sethupathi, who won the Best Award at the Indo-French International Film Festival for his performance in Maamanithan, in August this year.

The producers have also approached Kannada actor Darshan, popularly known as Challenging Star, at his Mysuru farmhouse, requesting him to convince Siddaramaiah to approve the project and also to do a cameo.

Darshan enjoys a good rapport with the opposition leader.

“Siddaramaiah is yet to take a call on the proposed project. The decision is likely to be announced in a week,” Prabhakar, the leader’s personal assistant, said.

Release likely in April/May

The producers are aiming for an April/May 2023 release, if Siddaramaiah gives the nod. Karnataka will then be under the grip of election fever.

“Siddaramaiah’s life is an inspiration to millions of people. He provided clean governance for five years during his tenure as the chief minister,” a Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, told South First.

“He has never compromised on his ideologies. He is a secular, popular and blemishless leader with a political career spanning nearly four decades. An effort is being made to bring his life events onto the big screen to inspire millions,” the leader added.

Lok Sabha polls and Modi’s biopic

It may be recalled here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s biopic was released during the Lok Sabha polls in May 2019.

Vivek Oberoi played the title role in the biopic, ‘PM Narendra Modi.’ (Sourced)

Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi played Modi’s role in the movie, PM Narendra Modi, which also had Manoj Joshi as Amit Shah and Sheila Gore as Sonia Gandhi.

The movie landed in a controversy after its release coincided with the general election. The Congress said, “the movie is to gain political mileage during the polls” and approached the Election Commission with a request to defer its release.

Following the complaint, the Election Commission prohibited Legend Studio, the producer, from releasing the movie before the polls. PM Narendra Modi was released on 24 May 2019, six days after the hustings. The movie, however, failed to win the hearts of film aficionados.