After mathematician Anand Kumar, Bihar's Dr Vashishtha Narayan Singh to get a biopic

The subject of Hrithik Roshan's Super 30, mathematician Anand Kumar, has come under the cloud after reports emerged saying he fudged data of Super 30 programme students who cleared the IIT-JEE (Advanced) examination this year. While the films shoot is underway, a biopic has been on another mathematician from Bihar — Dr Vashishta Narayan Singh.   

The film will be directed by fimmaker-actor Prakash Jha, and produced by Vijay Sinha and his children Priti, Amod, Namrata.  

Commenting on the project, Priti Sinha said, "I share my father's deep interest in the life of the genius Vashishtha babu and that's why I am keen to make the announcement of our film to coincide with my father's birthday, which is today [27 July]. And to make the announcement even more exciting, Mr Prakash Jha has agreed to direct our dream project."

Jha, too, was all praise for the noted mathematician. "Dr Vashishtha Narayan Singh, the brilliant mathematician from Bihar is our national treasure. His life is so inspiring, I would love to direct a biopic on him,” he said. 

According to a reliable source, Priti was offered the chance to direct Anand Kumar's biopic. “Anurag Basu was the first one to evince interest in making Anand Kumar’s biopic. He though walked out, and then Priti Sinha was supposed to make it. A year went by but the project couldn’t take off and so Sinha left the from the scene. Vikas Bahl then came on board and decided to take the film,” the source informed. 

Priti, however, refused to comment when asked if this information was true. “I’m not doing that [Super 30]. So, I don’t want to comment on it. I wish them [Super 30 producers] well. I left that film long time ago,” she told us. Super 30 is co-produced by Phantom Films, Sajid Nadiadwala, and Reliance Entertainment. 

Dr Singh studied BSc (Hons) in Mathematics from Patna University and completed his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. He then went on to work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Returning to India in 1971, he briefly taught at IIT Kanpur and moved on to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. In 1973, he was appointed as a permanent faculty member at Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, and in 2014 became a guest faculty in Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (BNMU) in Madhepura. Singh is currently in his hometown undergoing treatment for schizophrenia.