Hope Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli? is as impressive as Attenborough’s Gandhi, says Raj Thackeray

The launch and first clap of filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar’s Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli?, the biopic on the legendary Marathi writer and humourist PL Deshpande, was done by Raj Thackeray, the president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Speaking at the event, he said that he had liked only one biopic in his life, although he had seen many.

“Till date the only biopic I have liked is [Richard] Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982). Apart from this film, I haven’t liked any biopic because I haven’t seen one of that level. I have seen many biopics. I must have seen Gandhi 100-150 times,” he said.

PL Deshpande biopic will cover unknown aspects about him: Mahesh Manjrekar

When the film was released, Thackeray had just enrolled into JJ School of Arts. He used to attend the morning classes, and bunk the rest of the classes to see Gandhi while some of his friends would forge his signature for the evening attendance. “After signing the morning attendance, I used to take a bus to Plaza and watch the 11am and 2pm shows of Gandhi and go home,” added Thackeray.

He is hopeful that Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli? will be the second biopic he would like. “The way that biopic overwhelmed me, no other biopic has managed. I am expecting to get overwhelmed next by Mahesh’s Bhai,” he said.

Incidentally, Thackeray announced that he had been working on creating cartoons of all the characters created by Deshpande. “Maybe the exhibition and the movie will come together,” he added.

The film stars Sagar Deshmukh in the role of Deshpande, while Iravati Harshe will play the role of his wife Sunita.