Writer-editor-director Mahesh Narayanan, best known for helming critically acclaimed Malayalam films such as Take Off, Malik, C U Soon, and Ariyippu, is set to direct a new biographical feature on the life of Narain Karthikeyan, India’s first Formula One driver. The upcoming Tamil-language project, tentatively titled NK 370, is currently in development under Blue Marble Films. The film will chart Narain’s remarkable rise from the streets of Coimbatore to the elite world of international racing.
NK 370's screenplay is being penned by writer-filmmaker Shalini Usha Devi, who earlier co-wrote the Suriya-starrer Soorarai Pottru—a film that earned her the National Award for Best Screenplay, an honour she shared with director Sudha Kongara. Reflecting on the prestigious opportunity to spotlight a subject rarely explored in Indian cinema, Shalini said exclusively to CE, “At its heart, the NK story is the impossible journey of a kid from 1990s Coimbatore, to the starting grid of a Formula 1 race, the pinnacle of motorsport, in the early 2000s. As it is one of the few racing films to emerge from the country, it gives us the opportunity to craft a whole new cinematic vocabulary.”
Mahesh, who is making his Tamil-language feature debut with the film, was drawn to the story not just for its sporting triumphs but for what he sees as its deeper resonance. Speaking to Variety, he said he believes Narain’s rise is ultimately a tale of self belief and conviction, a journey shaped by "a dream no one else can see."
Born in Tamil Nadu, Narain began racing in 1993 and went on to participate in various forms of the sport. His career highlights include a historic 2005 debut with the Jordan F1 team, where he out-qualified Michael Schumacher in Melbourne and later became the first Indian to score F1 World Championship points at the United States Grand Prix. He later served as a test driver for Williams F1.
Motorsport stories are picking up speed in Indian cinema. With the Brad Pitt-starrer F1 drawing huge crowds in the country earlier this year, NK 370 arrives at a time when the Indian audiences are more open than ever to tales from the racing world. Faraz Ahsan, Vivek Rangachari and Pratik Maitra, with Amish Shah and Nilaanjan Reeta Datta produce the film, casting details regarding which are expected soon.
Meanwhile, Mahesh is currently busy directing his ambitious multistarrer Patriot, which is reportedly an espionage thriller featuring a stellar ensemble that includes Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Darshana Rajendran and Zarin Shihab, among others.
On the other hand, Shalini is awaiting the release of her latest directorial Ennennum, a dystopian science fiction film featuring Santhy Balachandran and Anoop Mohandas. It premiered in the Malayalam Cinema Today section at the 28th International Film Festival of Kerala and has since screened at international festivals outside India as well.
