Acclaimed filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, known for directed classics like ‘Piku’, ‘Vicky Dono’r, ‘October’, and ‘Sardar Udham,’ has opened up about his long-standing ambition to bring the life of legendary singer-actor Kishore Kumar to the big screen, revealing that Ranbir Kapoor was always his first choice for the role. In a recent interview, Sircar also explained why he eventually abandoned the project, despite years of research and preparation.
How Shoojit Sircar discovered Kishore Kumar
Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar’s fascination with Kishore Kumar began not with his music, but with his acting. In a conversation with Variety India, Sircar traced his introduction to the legend back to ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’ and ‘Padosan,’ long before he understood the depth of Kishore’s singing career.Sircar recalled watching Kishore Kumar bring humour to the screen through both his voice and his physicality, saying it was only as he grew older that he came to appreciate the singing. He noted that Kishore Kumar’s songs were inescapable growing up, often playing alongside those of Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, and added that even his own daughters continue to discover his music today through remixes.“I was first introduced to Kishore Kumar because of his acting. My first love for Kishore Kumar started from the film Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi and then Padosan. In the beginning, when I was growing up, I didn’t have that much knowledge regarding singing. But of course, you could see someone acting and doing something hilarious, wild, and physical. He was showcasing humor with his voice, but also with his physicality,” Sircar stated.Sircar continued, “Whether you are a film buff or not, you cannot escape Kishore Kumar. He was there in every film when we were growing up.”
Why Shoojit Sircar wanted to make a biopic on Kishore Kumar
Sircar explained that Kishore Kumar’s multi-hyphenate talent, as a singer, musician, actor, writer and eventually director combined with the many stories around him, is what drew him to the project. He pointed to anecdotes about how Kishore would avoid singing songs he disliked, his clashes with directors and producers, and the six-month period when he was banned from All India Radio, as material that fascinated him. He also revealed he was surprised to learn, fairly late, that Kishore Kumar was Ashok Kumar’s brother.Beyond the well-documented parts of his life, Sircar said he specifically wanted to highlight Kishore Kumar’s enduring longing for his hometown of Khandwa, noting that the singer always spoke of earning enough to eventually return there and take up farming. Sircar described him as a natural, instinctive artist rather than a formally trained one, calling that instinctive “madness” the core of what he wanted to capture on screen.Shoojit Sircar explained, “Because he was such a talented, creative person. He was a singer, musician, actor, writer… later I learned, he was a director as well. And a foodie! The one thing I always wanted to show is that he always wanted to go back home to Khandwa. From all my research, he always said he just wanted to earn some money and go back to Khandwa, do some farming, and live there. I think that aspect and also how someone is a natural, instinctive artist. Not trained too much, but pure instinct. That’s the madness I wanted to capture.”
Shoojit Sircar on zeroing in on Ranbir Kapoor as Kishore Kumar
Asked who he had envisioned in the role, Sircar didn’t hesitate. He said, “It was always Ranbir in my head.”However, once he learned that director Anurag Basu was independently developing a Kishore Kumar biopic with Ranbir Kapoor attached, Sircar chose to step back. He explained that since both Basu and Kapoor are friends, and only one version of the film should exist, he decided against pursuing his own, adding that he trusts Basu’s understanding of music and believes the project is in good hands.The filmmaker also explained why he abandoned the project after learning that Anurag Basu was developing a Kishore Kumar biopic with Ranbir Kapoor, “Yeah, when I learned he was doing it, I said no. Anurag is a friend, Ranbir is a friend, so there’s no point doing it when someone else is doing it. Only one person should do it.”Sircar further expressed confidence in Basu’s abilities, “Anurag understands music well. He’s very talented, so I thought it was in the right hands, and I gave up.”
Why Shoojit Sircar has moved on from the project
When asked whether there’s still scope to revive his version of the biopic, Sircar was clear that he doesn’t see a path forward for it. He said the project went through several rounds of development before he ultimately gave up on it once Basu’s version came into the picture, and that he has since moved on entirely.Sircar also made it clear that he has moved on from the project, “No, I don’t think so. At that time I was getting ready, but later I gave up because it went through so many rounds. Later, I got to know that Anurag Basu is making it. Anyway, I’ve moved on from it.”Asked to pick one Kishore Kumar song to remember the icon by, Sircar chose “Ek Chatur Naar” from “Padosan,” featuring Kishore Kumar alongside Manna Dey, calling the track “mind-blowing.”
Shoojit Sircar on the work front
Shoojit Sircar’s last release was ‘I Want to Talk’ starring Abhishek Bachchan which chronicled the story of a cancer survivor undergoing life-altering surgery while navigating a complex relationship with his daughter.Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor is slated to appear as Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra‘s ‘Ramayana‘ Part 1 slated for a release during Diwali 2026, sharing screen space with Arun Govil, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Rakul Preet Singh, Ravie Dubey and others.