New Delhi: A biopic on Sher Singh Rana, convicted murderer of Indian dacoit-turned-parliamentarian Phoolan Devi, is under production, with actor Vidyut Jammwal starring as Rana. The movie appears to be based on the story of Rana ‘bringing back’ the ashes of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan from Afghanistan.
The movie, titled ‘Sher Singh Raana’, is being produced by Vinod Bhanushali, who was previously the chief of global marketing and media publishing for music company T-Series. The biopic will be directed by Shree Narrayan Singh, known for works including Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Batti Gul Meter Chalu.
— Vidyut Jammwal (@VidyutJammwal) March 28, 2022
Rana, an upper-caste Thakur, was the lone convict in the murder of Phoolan Devi, who was looked up to as a champion of the lower castes. Devi, who was then a Samajwadi Party MP from Mirzapur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, was shot outside her South Delhi bungalow in July 2001 by three masked gunmen, including Rana.
The motive behind the murder was widely seen as part of a revenge cycle fought out between upper and lower castes. Two days after the murder, Rana surrendered in Dehradun and told the police that he killed Phoolan Devi to avenge the 1981 massacre of 20 high-caste men in Uttar Pradesh’s Behmai. Devi had said that she gunned down those men because they had “kidnapped and gangraped” her.
Rana, who is a politician himself and formed his own party called Rashtravadi Janlok Party, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 for the murder of Devi. He was later granted bail by the Delhi High Court in 2016.
Before getting the life sentence, Rana had escaped from Tihar jail in February 2004. Upon his arrest in April 2006, he had told the police that he got a fake passport from Ranchi and flew to Afghanistan on a student visa in early 2005 to bring back the ‘ashes’ of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Many on Twitter felt the movie should not be be made as there is “no bravery” in the murder of Phoolan Devi.
“Sher Singh Rana is convicted of the murder of world’s best rebel MP Phoolan Devi. He has been awarded life imprisonment. Phoolan Devi had laid down her arms. She was unarmed. There is no bravery in her murder. It’s called cowardice… This film should not be made,” noted academic and senior journalist Dilip Mandal.
शेर सिंह राणा दुनिया की श्रेष्ठ विद्रोहिणी सांसद फूलन देवी की हत्या का सजायाफ्ता मुजरिम है। उम्र क़ैद हुई है। फूलन देवी हथियार डाल चुकी थीं। निहत्थी थीं। उनकी हत्या में कोई शौर्य नहीं है। इसे कायरता कहते हैं। बीहड़ में जाकर भिड़ता तो बात होती। ये फ़िल्म नहीं बननी चाहिए। https://t.co/XbVAtmRhKv
— Dilip Mandal (@Profdilipmandal) March 29, 2022
However, some Twitter users like Sydney based Indian-origin cardiologist Dr Yadu Singh came in support of Rana and the biopic, saying it should “absolutely be made and will be made too”.
बिलकुल बननी चाहिये और बनेगी भी।फ़िल्म चलेगी भी।निर्दोष लोगों का नर संहार करने वाला व्यक्ति “श्रेष्ठ विद्रोहिणी” नहीं बल्कि एक क्रूर अपराधी होता है।घृणित राजनीति ऐसे लोगों को महिमामंडित करती है पर वास्तविकता नहीं बदलती! #SherSinghRaana! @VidyutJammwal @vinodbhanu @ranashersingh17 https://t.co/8IHlNBPyXT
— Yadu Singh (@dryadusingh) March 29, 2022
एशिया की सबसे बड़ी तिहाड़ जेल को तोड़कर अफगानिस्तान में अकेले जाकर वीर पराक्रमी हिंदू ह्रदय सम्राट पृथ्वीराज चौहान जी की अस्थियां भारत लाने वाले क्षत्रिय कुल गौरव शेर सिंह राणा के जीवन पर बनने वाली फिल्म का हमें बेसब्री से इंतजार रहेगा#shersinghraanamovie #SherSinghRaana https://t.co/YvtewiXuBX
— चिंटू सिंह राजपुत 🗡️ (@ChintuS68639847) March 29, 2022
Meanwhile, some users who are fans of Vidyut Jammwal expressed his dismay at his choice of role.
#SherSinghRaana AKA @VidyutJammwal you are going very wrong🤦 this role does not match with your character. You loose 1 jabra fan and follower.
Shame on me that I was Fan of you😢#shameonvidyut
— Sarim Ansari (@Sarimansari1234) March 29, 2022
@VidyutJammwal I guess, you don't know about this killer named #SherSinghRaana, had you know him, you wouldn't have signed this film. https://t.co/GakxQTWH5f
— Mukesh (@MukeshSunkariya) March 29, 2022
(Edited by Monami Gogoi)
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