Shoojit Sircar denies he will be helming George Fernandes biopic

A week ago, Piku (2015) director Shoojit Sircar was denying rumours that he would be directing the sequel to the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Thackeray (2019), which was released in theatres last week.

Now the filmmaker put out a statement that he would not be the director on the Sanjay Raut-produced biopic of the late Socialist politician George Fernandes.

Sircar, in a statement, said, "A biopic on Shri George Fernandes is a very interesting project and I congratulate Mr Sanjay Raut on taking it up. I have had several media queries on whether I'll be directing it. While I'm always available for any guidance or help that I can offer on the film, I'm currently very busy with the prep work on my next projects and therefore won't have the time to direct it. I wish him and his team all the very best."

Sircar and Raut are close friends and the script of the biopic has been finalized and the producer hoped shooting could begin in March. Fernandes died at age 88 after a prolonged illness on 29 January 2019.

After the release of Thackeray (2019) on 25 January, Raut had told IANS that his biopic on Fernandes "would focus mostly on the period from the mid-1950s in Mumbai to the Emergency, and the crucial role he played in coalition-era politics".

Sircar's last film was the sensitive drama, October (2018), starring Varun Dhawan. He has yet to announce his next project.