Dadasaheb Phalke's grandson Chandrashekhar Pusalkar slams SS Rajamouli's team, praises Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani's respectful biopic approach
recently made a surprise announcement that they are reuniting after over a decade for a biopic on
, the revered 'Father of Indian Cinema'. Within minutes, reports emerged that
SS Rajamouli
was also working on a project on Phalke, with
likely to play the lead.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
However, what was meant to be a celebratory moment for Indian cinema has now turned into a conversation about ethics, respect, and representation. Dadasaheb Phalke's grandson, Chandrashekhar Srikrishna
Pusalkar
, has openly criticized Rajamouli's team for failing to reach out to the family.
'Rajamouli never contacted me for the biopic,' Pusalkar said, adding that no one from the filmmaker's team made any effort to speak with the family.
'If someone is making a film on Phalke ji, then at least the family should be talked to,' he told Amar Ujala.
Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan's team earns family's confidence
In stark contrast, Pusalkar praised Aamir and Hirani for handling the sensitive subject with diligence and transparency. He revealed that their assistant producer Hindukush Bhardwaj had been in touch with him for three years, regularly visiting and gathering information.
According to Pusalkar, this consistent engagement and honest effort helped the team earn his confidence.
'Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani's project was a surprise for me too. But their team worked hard to gain trust. I told them clearly—You guys are working honestly, you go ahead. I have no objection.'
Grandson puts faith in Aamir's intent
Pusalkar also vouched for Aamir's sincerity and Rajkumar Hirani's storytelling prowess.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
'If Aamir Khan is doing this role then I am very happy... Whatever work he does, he does it with complete honesty,' he said. 'Along with him, there is also a director like Rajkumar Hirani, who has done excellent work in the past.'
He confirmed that the family was consulted at every step, from research to site visits, and called the collaboration 'a good thing', as it kept the family involved in the project's shaping.
Aamir Khan's New Role in Sitaare Zameen Par
Shoot begins in October 2025
The Aamir-Hirani film is set to go on floors in October 2025.
The actor will begin prep once Sitaare Zameen Par releases. Backed by extensive research and development, the script has been co-written by Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi, Hindukush Bharadwaj, and Avishkar Bharadwaj over four years.
The team has even brought in a VFX studio from Los Angeles to design AI-powered visual recreations of the era Phalke lived in.
Rajamouli's
Made In India
promises a tribute but skips consultation
In contrast, SS Rajamouli's biopic, tentatively titled Made In India, is being touted as a tribute to the origins of Indian cinema.
It is reportedly not a straightforward biopic but a cinematic journey that highlights the evolution of Indian film through Dadasaheb Phalke's contributions.
The film was announced in 2023. Jr NTR is expected to sign the project after hearing the narration.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Wire
12 minutes ago
- The Wire
India–Spain Cultural Exchange Highlights Disability Inclusion through Film and Dialogue
New Delhi, July 4, 2025 — The Embassy of Spain to India, in collaboration with ETI Services and the Agatsu Foundation, hosted a landmark cultural event titled 'Sitaare Zameen Par: India and Spain in Conversation on Inclusion through Disability-focused Cinema' at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi. Anchored in the power of storytelling, the event brought together filmmakers, disability rights advocates, and cultural leaders from India and Spain to explore how cinema can advance empathy, dignity, and inclusion for persons with disabilities. The event opened with welcome remarks by Alfonso Herrero Corral, Counsellor at the Embassy of Spain, who emphasized the role of cultural diplomacy in amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities and the potential of cinema as a catalyst for social change. The opening session, 'Our Journeys,' featured a compelling conversation with disability rights activists who reflected on their lived experiences and the challenges and transformations that shaped their advocacy. Moderated by Ira Khan, Founder and Director of the Agatsu Foundation, the panel included Sushama Nagarkar, Parag Namdeo, Divyanshu Ganatra, and Danish Mahajan. Their dialogue illuminated the systemic barriers faced by persons with disabilities and called for more inclusive, accessible, and affirming spaces—both on and off screen. Summarizing the conversations in the panel, Ira added, 'Disability isn't an inability — and it certainly isn't charity. What we heard today wasn't about exceptionalism, but about the right to live, work, and create with dignity. It's time we moved beyond tokenism, beyond pity, and started treating persons with disabilities as equals — not someday, but now'. This was followed by an address by H.E. Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain to India, who reaffirmed Spain's commitment to advancing disability inclusion and strengthening cultural collaboration with India. In his remarks, he highlighted the shared responsibility of nations to ensure that no one is left behind in narratives of progress, especially in the arts and public life. On the transformative potential of art to bring about impact, the Ambassador remarked, 'What cinema can do — in a way that policy or programming sometimes cannot — is shift imagination. It shows us what is possible, helps us see each other more fully, and reminds us that dignity must never be optional.'. The second half of the event featured a dialogue on inclusion through movies, bringing together the cast and creators behind Sitaare Zameen Par and Spain's celebrated film Campeones. The panel included Aamir Khan (Actor and Producer, joining virtually), Jesús Vidal (Actor, Campeones, joining virtually), Aparna Purohit (CEO, Aamir Khan Productions), R.S. Prasanna (Director), and Divy Nidhi Sharma (Writer), and was moderated by Sukriti Chauhan, CEO of ETI Services. The conversation explored the ethics and impact of representation, the responsibilities of filmmakers, and the personal journeys behind both films. Speaking from his experience as a filmmaker, producer and actor, Aamir Khan remarked, 'I have a dream — that one day, there will be no segregation. We're so quick to judge, but often it's those we label as 'different' who show us the greatest empathy, warmth, and humanity. Inclusion means we stop creating separate spaces — and start creating shared ones'. Addressing the importance of gatherings like these, R.S Prasanna said, ''We need to create cinema that leaves a mark beyond the box office. If even one heart shifts because of a story we've told, that's enough. And today, more than ever, I believe we're ready to come together — in theatres and in spirit — to celebrate that kind of change.' Drawing from the multiple perspectives from the panel, Sukriti remarked, 'Representation is not just about being seen — it's about being understood. This conversation reminded us that inclusion isn't decorative. It is foundational to meaningful future developments.' The day concluded with a special screening of Sitaare Zameen Par, a film that resonated with audiences for its sensitive and transformative portrayal of childhood, disability, neurodivergence and the need for compassionate social systems, serving as a cinematic anchor for the day's conversations. As the host for the day, Stephy Stephen, Senior Research Analyst at ETI Services, guided the flow of the event throughout the day. This cultural exchange between India and Spain reinforces the belief that inclusive storytelling is not only about visibility, but about justice — and when lived experiences meet the lens of cinema, they build bridges across borders and bring marginalised voices to the center of public discourse. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
News18
15 minutes ago
- News18
The Bengal Files: Vivek Agnihotri Launches USA Premiere Tour Ahead Of India Release
Last Updated: Vivek Agnihotri's The Bengal Files to premiere across 10 U.S. cities in July. Final part of the Files Trilogy hits Indian cinemas on Sept 5, 2025. Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, best known for his provocative and politically charged cinema, has unveiled an electrifying new promo video announcing the U.S. premiere tour of his upcoming film The Bengal Files. The movie marks the third and final installment of his 'Files Trilogy," following the impactful The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files. The promo, shared on Agnihotri's social media handles, features emotionally charged snippets from all three films, reinforcing his ongoing cinematic mission to spotlight unspoken chapters of Indian history. Titled the Never Again USA Tour, the initiative is a bold move to take The Bengal Files to global audiences ahead of its theatrical release in India. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) The U.S. leg of the promotional tour will see ten grand premieres starting July 19 in New Jersey and ending on August 10 in Houston. Other cities on the itinerary include Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Raleigh, Tampa, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The aim is to build conversation around the film and its themes with an engaged diaspora audience that has previously shown strong support for Agnihotri's work. 'The Never Again tour is more than just a string of premieres; it's a call to revisit suppressed truths," Agnihotri said while unveiling the video, which also includes glimpses from The Bengal Files trailer. The Bengal Files is written and directed by Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi. Backed by Tej Narayan Agarwal and I Am Buddha, the film features a formidable cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Darshan Kumar. As with its predecessors, the film is expected to deal with a politically sensitive and historically overlooked subject. The release is scheduled for September 5, 2025, in Indian theatres. With momentum already building overseas, Agnihotri's latest offering seems poised to generate global dialogue — not just as a film, but as a cultural reckoning. First Published:
The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
The mridangam's rhythm gets an electronic makeover
The North Axis Project has unveiled its latest track, 'Mridanga'. It is a percussion-driven, bass-infused composition that seamlessly blends Kerala's rich musical heritage with electronic sounds. 'The idea behind the track is to explore the sound of the mridangam, and reimagine it within the modern musical framework,' says Siddharth Bhayani, who spearheads the band. The inspiration, he shares, came during a visit to a South Indian temple, where he was left 'mesmerised by the intricate mridangam rhythm patterns, played during a ritual. It struck me how timeless those beats felt — like it could echo across centuries, and yet move people today,' recalls Siddharth. ''Mridanga' is not just a track, but a dialogue between tradition and innovation.' Traditionally, the mridangam is central to Carnatic music, is deeply expressive. 'We treated the mridangam not just as an instrument, but as a language, translating its vocabulary into new rhythmic structures that could live on a dancefloor or in a cinematic setting. We studied its phrasing, tonal range and rhythmic grammar. Then we broke it down into isolated strokes, unconventional time signatures, ghost notes — and rebuilt it using electronic production tools like granular synthesis, pitch modulation and spatial FX,' elaborates Siddharth. Siddharth's musical influences are rooted in Indian classical traditions and global subcultures. On the Indian side, legends such as A.R. Rahman, Sivamani and Karsh Kale have impacted his approache to fusion. 'They showed me that experimentation can be done without losing cultural depth.' His journey has also been 'shaped by the raw energy of rock, heavy metal and punk rock'. Bands such as Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana influenced his 'early understanding of musical rebellion'. 'That aggressive, no-rules attitude naturally transitioned into my sound design — especially in the North Axis Project,' says Siddharth. On the electronic side, artists such as Acid Pauli, Bonobo and artistes chosen by the Buddha Bar movement have influenced his music. Psytrance has also been a motivating factor. 'The fusion of all these sounds gives North Axis project its unique identity: rooted, rebellious and rhythmically alive,' he states. Siddharth is now working on a theatrical live act that brings together musicians, street performers and electronic elements. He is also working on a new track, inspired by the infectious energy of Nashik dhol tasha. 'There is a raw power in its rhythm, the kind that moves not just the feet, but also the spirit. I am working on weaving the dhol's sound into electronic textures, and in the process will take the energy of the streets to the dancefloors,' he adds. These works follow the trajectory of past North Axis releases such as 'Dhin Na'. They also build on conceptually rich tracks such as 'Haveli', 'Minar' and 'Aangan', whose sounds were inspired by architecture. 'These works explores the acoustic soul of Indian spaces, translating the resonance of courtyards, domes and facades into rhythm and atmosphere,' shares Siddharth, whose background in architecture helps him 'approach sound much like space'.
