Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi will be stepping inside the shoes of iconic yesteryear filmmaker V Shantaram in his upcoming biopic V Shantaram: The Rebel of Indian Cinema. Written and directed by Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande, the first look poster was announced on Monday with the Gully Boy actor donning a retro look, while holding a camera belonging to that era in hand.
Siddhant stated that portraying the veteran filmmaker is "one of the greatest honors of my life". "The more I read about his journey, the more humbled I felt. He wasn’t just a pioneer of Indian and global cinema, he was a visionary who kept pushing forward no matter the obstacles. Stepping into his world has been my most transformative experience as an actor. His life moved me deeply and reminded me of the power of perseverance. It’s a lesson I hope to hold close, both in my work and in every moment of my life," he said, according to Variety.
Director Deshpande said, "V Shantaram has been a huge source of inspiration for me as a filmmaker. His courage to experiment and his vision shaped so much of the cinema we know today. Telling his story is an honour and I hope we do justice to the man behind the legend. With this first poster, we are sharing a glimpse of that journey, with Siddhant Chaturvedi stepping into a role we always believed he was meant to play."
Known for his work in some iconic Hindi and Marathi films, V Shantaram is a veteran filmmaker who is best known for films such as Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Amar Bhoopali (1951), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), Navrang (1959), Duniya Na Mane (1937), Pinjara (1972), Chani, Iye Marathiche Nagari and Zunj. Also an actor, screenwriter, editor and producer, the auteur has been hailed as a visionary of Indian cinema who was instrumental in influencing and changing the landscape of cinema through his technical innovations and progressive social themes.
In his career spanning seven decades, he founded two major film studios Prabhat Film Company in 1929 and Rajkamal Kalamandir in 1942. His films were known for using grand sets and picturised songs in a unique way and were rich in visual symbolism. He received India’s highest film honor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 1985, and passed away in 1990.
The project is presented by Rajkamal Enterttainment, Camera Take Films and Roaring Rivers Productions. Rahul Kiran Shantaram, Subhash Kale and Sarita Ashwin Varde are serving as producers. On the technical team, V Shantaram has Ravi Varman as the DOP and Sreekar Prasad as the editor, adding more technical finesse to the project.