Bollywood biopic soon on Bihar’s real life hero

Vikas Bahl will direct the film on Anand Kumar, founder of Super 30 coaching institute

Director Vikas Bahl (second from left) with mathematician and founder of Super 30 Anand Kumar (second from right).

A Bollywood biopic was finalised on Monday on Anand Kumar, the mathematician and founder of the Super 30 coaching institute, which not only provides free education but also food and accommodation to poor students eager to crack the joint entrance examination for admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology. Since 2002, over 350 students from Super 30 have made it to the IITs.

Director Vikas Bahl, best known for the 2014 hit “Queen”, will direct the film, which will be produced by Vinay and Preeti Sinha of Reel Life Entertainment, whose films “ Andaaz Apna Apna ” and “ Shaandar ” had done well at the box-office. Sanjeev Dutta — scriptwriter for “ Page-3 ”, “ Life in a Metro ” and “ Barfi ”, among others — will write the screenplay.

Deal sealed

“It is true that for the last few years talks were on for a biopic on my life and some directors and producers were in touch with me, but eventually Reel Life Entertainment was destined to seal the deal,” Mr. Kumar, who signed the contract at his home in Patna, told The Hindu , adding that the income from the film would be used for the expansion of Super 30 to accommodate more poor students. Earlier well-known director Anurag Basu had expressed interest in making a biopic and had even visited Patna, “but somehow things could not materialise,” Mr Kumar said.

Vikas Bahl said he, like many others, was inspired by the story of Anand Kumar.

“His life has many interesting dimensions and weaving them into a story for a film would be really fascinating. The actor will have to study Anand Kumar and mould himself in his style. The film will be extensively shot in Bihar to retain the local flavour,” Bahl said.

The star cast has not been decided yet, “but I would like Anand Kumar too to play some part in the film,” the director said.

Research undertaken

Sanjeev Dutta, the scriptwriter, said he had been planning to do a film on Anand Kumar for the past four-five years. “I had even discussed it with Anurag Basu earlier. I have already done a lot of research on Anand and his Super 30,” he said.