Dadasaheb Phalke's grandson Chandrashekhar Pusalkar slams SS Rajamouli’s team, praises Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani’s respectful biopic approach

Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani recently made a surprise announcement that they are reuniting after over a decade for a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, the revered ‘Father of Indian Cinema’. Within minutes, reports emerged that SS Rajamouli was also working on a project on Phalke, with Jr NTR likely to play the lead.

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. “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.




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.

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