The release of Omung Kumar’s Narendra Modi biopic has been advanced by a week, the film’s producers announced in a press release on Tuesday. “We are bringing this film a week early on public demand,” producer Sandip Ssingh claimed. “There is a lot of love and anticipation among the people and we don’t want them to wait longer.”
Starring Vivek Anand Oberoi as the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, PM Narendra Modi was earlier scheduled to be out on April 12, a day after the completion of the first phase of the General Elections. The elections will take place in seven phases till May 19. Voting in 90 constituencies in 20 states including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, will take place in the first phase on April 11.
The biopic will be released in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. Production began in late January, and the movie has raced towards completion. According to the Central Board of Film Certification’s website, it can take upto 68 days for a production to be censored, if cuts are required.
Romeo Akbar Walter, starring John Abraham as an undercover agent, and No Fathers in Kashmir will also be released on April 5.
Speaking to Mid-Day, a former Election Commissioner noted that the film’s release indirectly violates the model code of conduct since it has the blessings of BJP leaders. Although the party is not directly involved with the production, it was launched in Mumbai by BJP leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Party president Amit Shah, who is played by Manoj Joshi in the movie, was scheduled to launch of the film’s new poster, which features Oberoi’s Modi with a bunch of children and the tagline “I draw my strength from my love for my country”.
Prodcer Sandeep Ssingh defended the film, telling Mid-Day that BJP had nothing to do with PM Narendra Modi. “Since we are making a film on the sitting PM, we are requesting people who admire him to come as chief guests,” Ssingh said.
