The Accidental Prime Minister first look: Anupam Kher looks convincing as Manmohan Singh

Anupam Kher is no stranger to political dramas, and has received a Special Mention at the National Film Awards for his portrayal of Uttam Chaudhary in Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara. Now, he is set to play former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in a film that chronicles his years in office. The first look of the film has been released, and the most interesting part of it is the figure of a woman clad in a sari in the background, who is presumably Sonia Gandhi. The actor shared it with the caption, “To reinvent yourself as an actor is to challenge yourself.”

To reinvent yourself as an actor is to challenge yourself. Looking forward to portraying #DrManmohanSingh in #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister.:) pic.twitter.com/PsVdkpjZWY

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) June 7, 2017

This film is based on the book The Accidental Prime Minister, which is written by Sanjay Baru, who was the former Prime Minister’s media advisor. This book is known to be critical of Singh’s first term, and it was released around the time of the 2014 General Elections. Sanjay Baru served as Manmohan Singh’s advisor from May 2004 to August 2008. In the book, he says that Singh had been “defanged” by the Congress, and he claims that all key appointments and decisions were taken instead by Sonia Gandhi, the president of the party. The movie is scheduled to release in December 2018, months before the 2019 General Elections. The first look will be revealed on 7 June 2017. Sunil Bohra, the producer of this film, has said that the film’s scale as a political drama will be grander than that of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi, which starred Ben Kingsley. [caption id=“attachment_3522645” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Anupam Kher and Dr Manmohan Singh. Images from Facebook[/caption] Directed by debutante Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the film’s screenplay has been written by Aligarh director Hansal Mehta. The music of the film will be composed by Salim-Sulaiman. The film will focus on the inside workings of Manmohan Singh’s administration. The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised. Speaking about the role, Anupam Kher said, “Acting the role of anyone in contemporary history is extremely challenging, as comparisons are bound to be instant and inevitable. But as I have always revelled in challenges, right from my first film Saaransh, I look forward to the experience of portraying PM Manmohan Singh,” as reported by The Economic Times.