Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani team up for Dadasaheb Phalke biopic

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is set to reunite with director Rajkumar Hirani for a biopic based on the life of Dadasaheb Phalke, widely regarded as the Father of Indian Cinema. The project will mark their third collaboration following "3 Idiots" (2009) and "PK" (2014).

According to a press statement issued yesterday, filming for the yet-untitled feature is scheduled to commence in October. Khan will begin preparing for the role after the release of his upcoming film "Sitaare Zameen Par".

Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, better known as Dadasaheb Phalke, directed India's first feature-length film "Raja Harishchandra" in 1913. Some of his other significant works include "Lanka Dahan", "Shri Krishna Janma" and "Kaliya Mardan".

The biopic is set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement and traces Phalke's journey from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazer of India's homegrown film industry, the release stated.

The script has been under development for four years, led by Hirani, screenwriter Abhijat Joshi, and writers Hindukush Bharadwaj and Avishkar Bharadwaj. Phalke's grandson, Chandrashekhar Srikrishna Pusalkar, has reportedly extended his support to the project, contributing key anecdotes from the filmmaker's life.

Visual elements depicting the period have already been developed by VFX studios based in Los Angeles, using AI-driven design technology, the release added.

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Instituted in 1969, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award remains Indian cinema's highest honour, presented annually for lifetime achievement in the field.