Ketan Mehta: Biopic Fascinates Me Because They Are Real Stories

Biopic films are the new trend in Bollywood these days and director Ketan Mehta has a knack for them. Out of 12 films of his career, the director reveals that 4 are biopic, which includes film Sardar and Mangal Pandey: The Rising. “I have done all kind of films before this. But biopic fascinates me because they are real stories”, the director told PTI. His next film, Manjhi - The Mountain Man, which is releasing on August 21, is also a biopic. In fact, his next film starring Kangana Ranaut is another biographic film based on the life of the freedom fighter.

Stating why he likes biographical films, Ketan Mehta said, “They are inspiring. They are much more identifiable and inspiring. As a filmmaker, it challenges me to do necessary research and revisit that period. I feel facts are generally stranger than fiction”.

Talking of the film based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi, which stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the director said, “In 2007, he (Manjhi) died and I found the stories published by newspapers and magazines very inspiring of the man, who carved out a road in 22 years from a mountain for his beloved wife. And that’s when I started making a film on it. We spent two years in research and scripting”.