Actor-producer Raghu Bhat is set to direct ‘Mahakavi’, a biopic on Kannada’s first Rashtrakavi Manjeshwar Govinda Pai. Sandalwood has seen biopics on historical characters. However, a biopic on a writer is touted as a first of its kind in the industry.
The project on Pai, who put Manjeshwar on the literary map of India, began recently. Pai was awarded the first Rashtrakavi title by the Madras government.
Bhat drew inspiration from his writing. “My house in Manjeshwar is close to Pai’s house,” he tells Showtime. “Why should we see biopics of only celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, or Sanjay Dutt? We should attempt biopics of poets and writers,” Bhat argues.
He is confident of the film’s success. “My film will have some commercial elements. I will prove that biopics on poets too can make money at the box office,” he adds.
Journalist Ganesh Kasargod has written the story, screenplay and dialogues while Jayaram, a native of Manjeshwar, will score the music. Bhat plans to use three poems of Pai. The film is likely to be under two hours.
‘Mahakavi’ is a bridge cinema, he says. “There’s no use if your film doesn’t reach the audience and only wins awards. Also, the trend of biopics on underworld dons should end. My cinema is for the family audience. Even students will be interested in the life stories of the poets. I am keen on making biopics of other writers as well,” he explains.
He plans to dub it in other languages as Pai was well-versed in many languages. Manjeshwar and Ramoji Film City have been fixed as shooting spots.
The film is made under the Lakshmi Ganesh Productions banner. Bhat’s wife Suguna Raghu Bhat is investing in the film.