MUMBAI: Anurag Basu is on the verge of completing the Kishore Kumar script. He has got on board writer Soumik Sen, earlier associated with the writing of films like ‘Meerabai Not Out’ and ‘Hum Tum Aur Ghost’.
Says Anurag, “For the first time I am co-writing a script with another writer. Kishore hai hi aisa subject jismein bahot homework ki zaroorat hai (Kishore Kumar is a subject that requires a lot of research). Soumik and I are both Bengali and we are both crazy Kishore fans.”
However Anurag discounts all speculation about the four wives of Kishore Kumar occupying a pivotal place in the plot. “I don’t know where that story came from. We are going to telescope Kishore Kumar’s life as as a singer and actor.”
And yes, Amit Kumar will sing his father’s songs.
It’s Kishore Kumar for Ranbir Kapoor full-steam ahead. But here’s the thing. Ranbir wants to get Abhinav Kashyap’s ‘Besharam’ out of the way before he plunges into the most difficult role of his career.
The role would require at least six months of preparation and a minimum of 1 ½ years of shooting. During the shooting Ranbir would have to go through three different looks to represent three different stages of Kishore Kumar’s life.
Scariest character-transition of all would be the weight-gain. The younger pre-1970s Kishore Kumar and the older post-70s Kishore Kumar would have to show a weight difference of at least 12-15 kilos.
This part of the character-assumption is going to be the toughest challenge of Ranbir’s career.
Says a source close to the project, “Ranbir’s family’s metabolism is notoriously variable.The Kapoor khandaan is known to put on weight even when they sniff at a calorie. Ranbir is by choice the scrawniest Kapoor ever. He avoids any tendency to bulk up because of the family tradition of over-weight. But for Kishore he has no choice…Actually he does have a choice! Anurag suggested prosthetics to fatten up Kishore’s character. But Ranbir refused. He wants no artifice in portraying the iconic singer-actor.”
Confirming these historic plans for the Kishore bio-pic director Anurag Basu says, “Ranbir would have 2-3 looks for the film. He would definitely have to bulk up during the course of the character’s development. We have to understand this is not an ordinary man’s story. Kishore Kumar started singing in 1948 and continued singing until his death in 1987. Ranbir would have to show Kishore Kumar from age 19 to age 58.”
Adds Anurag, “This would have to include Kishoreda’s acting career which continued through the 1950s, 60s and 70s. So it’s not going to be easy at all for Ranbir.”
Luckily Kishore son Amit Kumar is on board. “Amit will guide us throughout. He was the person closest to Kishoreda and we’re fortunate to have him with us. But Ranbir needs to free himself of his other commitments to give the kind of time and attention Kishore requires. He will first complete ‘Besharam’ with Abhinav.”
The actor would be doing the preparation for the Kishore Kumar role while working on Abhinav Kashyap’s caper about a con-man from Delhi.
