Filmmaker Richie Mehta’s Phoolan, a film based on the dreaded Chambal dacoit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi, will have its world premiere at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, a Prime Original, will eventually release for the general public on Prime Video. A release date has not yet been announced.
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Popularly known as Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi was a popular figure in India’s pop culture in the 80s and 90s. Her life journey from a bandit to a Member of Parliament was chronicled by Shekhar Kapur in the controversial 1994 film Bandit Queen. The film starred Seema Biswas as Phoolan, with Nirmal Pandey, Aditya Srivastava, Gajraj Rao, Saurabh Shukla, Manoj Bajpayee, and Raghuvir Yadav in supporting roles. The film won three National Film Awards, including Best Actress for Seema Biswas and the Best Hindi Feature Film. However, its release was not without controversy. Phoolan herself opposed the film, threatening self-immolation if the film was released.
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The Hindi-language movie will be screened at the festival on September 16 at the Princess of Wales Theatre as part of the Special Presentations section, according to a press release.
Written and directed by Mehta, the film is produced by Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora, Kanwal Kohli and Mehta under the banner of Namah Pictures.
Inspired by the 1997 book I, Phoolan – The Autobiography of India’s Bandit Queen, the film chronicles a defining chapter in the life of Phoolan Devi, when thousands of armed men surrounded a village in an attempt to kill her.
Set in the heartland of India, the film follows the journey of an impoverished 17-year-old girl who went on to become one of the country’s most infamous outlaws. According to the makers, the story centres on a brutal 48-hour siege mounted by more than 2,000 armed men.
Phoolan, which will premiere on Prime Video after its festival run, features Sneha Kumari in the title role. Actors Anurag Thakur, Vikram Pratap Singh, Aakash Dahiya, Prateek Pachori and Dev Dutt Budholiya also feature in pivotal roles.
The Toronto International Film Festival, one of the world’s leading film events, is regarded as a major platform for international cinema and will run from September 10 to 20.
