Entertainment

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and director Rajkumar Hirani are set to collaborate once again, this time for a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema. This marks their third project together after the successful films "3 Idiots" (2009) and "PK" (2014) .

The upcoming film will chronicle the life of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, who directed India's first feature film, "Raja Harishchandra," in 1913. Set against the backdrop of India's independence struggle, the narrative will explore Phalke's journey in establishing the foundation of Indian cinema .

The script has been in development for over four years, with contributions from Hirani, his longtime collaborator Abhijat Joshi, and writers Hindukush Bharadwaj and Avishkar Bharadwaj . Filming is scheduled to commence in October 2025, following the release of Aamir Khan's upcoming film "Sitaare Zameen Par" on June 20 

To authentically recreate the era, Los Angeles-based VFX studios have developed AI-generated visuals depicting early 20th-century India . Additionally, Phalke's grandson, Chandrashekhar Srikrishna Pusalkar, has provided valuable anecdotes to enrich the screenplay .

This biopic is not the only cinematic tribute to Phalke in the works. Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has announced "Made in India," a biographical epic inspired by Phalke's life, with Jr NTR reportedly set to star. The project aims to celebrate Phalke's legacy and his groundbreaking contributions to Indian cinema .

Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani's collaboration on this biopic is highly anticipated, given their history of delivering impactful films. As the project progresses, it promises to offer audiences an insightful look into the life of a pioneer who shaped the Indian film industry.