Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani reunite for Dadasaheb Phalke biopic, filming to begin in October

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is reuniting with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani for a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema. This feature film will mark a third collaboration between Khan and Hirani after 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014).

This comes a day after media reports suggested that Jr NTR is collaborating with filmmaker SS Rajamouli on a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke. It was reported that the South Indian actor will undergo a “major transformation” for the iconic role.

About Aamir Khan-Rajkumar Hirani's latest project

According to a press release, the makers said filming on the currently untitled project will begin in October. They said Aamir Khan will start preparing for the role after the release of his latest film Sitaare Zameen Par, which will hit the theatres on June 20.

The makers said the biopic is set against the backdrop of the independence struggle. “The story unfolds an extraordinary journey of an artist, who from scratch, against all odds, goes on to give birth to the largest indigenous film industry in the world.”

The makers said Hirani, his frequent collaborator Abhijat Joshi, and writers Hindukush Bharadwaj and Avishkar Bharadwaj have been working on the script for the last four years.

According to the release, Dadasaheb Phalke's grandson Chandrashekhar Srikrishna Pusalkar has “been supportive of the project and has provided major anecdotes from Dadasaheb Phalke's life”.

The AI designs for the era and period of the film have “already been created” by Los Angeles-based VFX studios.

Who is Dadasaheb Phalke?

Dadasaheb Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema, was born as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke. He established the Phalke Films Company in 1912.

A pioneering figure of Indian cinema, Phalke directed 1913's “Raja Harishchandra,” which is regarded as India’s first silent movie. While the writer-director wrote, directed, and produced the feature film, his wife, Saraswati, helped with costume design and food catering.

In his career as a filmmaker for nearly two decades, Dadasaheb Phalke has made 27 short films and over 90 full-length movies.

His other notable films include "Lanka Dahan", "Shri Krishna Janma", and "Kaliya Mardan".

In 1969, the government of India instituted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, in Phalke's memory. The award is presented annually at the National Film Awards to honour a lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.