In addition to being the heroine of one of India’s greatest political upsets in recent years, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has become the muse for the producer of a film — Behenji-The great Sister.
The Moradabad-based producer Kailash Masoom, whose claim to fame is a controversial film on a Mumbai bar dancer Tarannum, Dastan-e-Tarannum, says he has been inspired by the Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati’s “struggle for the Dalits and human qualities behind the austere political face”.
And while making the film, he will be careful to omit all the cases listed against her.
“These are all sub judice and it will be improper to depict them,” Kailash Masoom said dismissing speculation that he is being careful not to court Behenji’s ire.
Mr Kailash Masoom earlier had planned to make a movie on the chief minister’s personal life. But says he changed his mind after her success in the UP elections.
“This movie will show case her complete personality,” he declares, refusing to divulge how he has sourced little known details of the politician who is anything but friendly
Essaying Mayawati’s role will be Pratima Kazmi, a little known starlet who has had two bit parts in movies like Dushman, No Entry and Gadar.
Pratima Kazmi, however, confesses that she has little knowledge of Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape, but she is hoping to remedy that by a crash course in reading up all there is on the Bahujan Samaj Party and its leader.
“It is a great honour to portray the role of the great lady. So far, I have only seen her on television but do hope to meet her soon,” Kazmi gushes. Actor Rahul Sharma is to  play Mayawati’s trusted lieutenant Satish Chandra Mishra while Alok Nath, popular television actor will be seen in the role of Kanshi Ram, Mayawti’s mentor.
Greater star power will be provided by Jackie Shroff who, Masoom hopes, will say aye to play the role of Mayawati’s bete noire Raja bhaiyya.
Ravindra Jain has composed the music for the six songs of the film, which has a budget of Rs 3 crore and will be shot in Agra, Noida,  Moradabad besides the Bahujan Samajwadi Party’s leader native village of Badalpur.
Party in the dark
However, at the Bahujan Samaj Party office in Lucknow, no one knows anything about the movie on the party chief, the mahurat for which has apparently taken place in Mumbai in January.
Incidentally, this is not the first time a filmmaker has ventured to bring Mayawati’s life to the silver screen. The late Gulshan Kumar was one among those who had planned a biographic picture on the BSP leader Mayawati.