Mahaveer Jain to produce Pankaj Dubey’s novel What A Loser!, author to direct

Producer Mahaveer Jain has acquired the rights to Pankaj Dubey’s first novel What A Loser!, published by Penguin Metro Reads. The author himself will adapt his novel into a feature film.

Dubey's novel follows Pandey Anil Kumar Sinha (PAKS), an underachiever who arrives in Delhi. His father hopes he will become an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer. But while PAKS doesn't have many hopes for himself, he finds himself falling in love, learning English and making new friends. The comedy novel sees the hero living his dream, but how long can it last?

Jain, who confirmed the project, said, “This will probably be the first time in the history of Hindi film industry that the adaptation of a novel into a feature film will be directed by the novelist himself.”

However, Shonali Bose directed the Konkona Sensharma-starrer Amu (2005), based on her own novel about a young woman living in the US and her past linking her to the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom.

The adaptation will be produced by Jain and Nikhil Kamath. Kamath said, "We are committed to high-on-concept films that can engage and inspire the audience with powerful and soulful storytelling."

Dubey is also adapting his novel into a screenplay with Gautam Ved. The author has previously directed the short film Maratha Mandir Theatre (2018), which starred Swanand Kirkire and Sarika.