Amitabh Bachchan reportedly plays football coach Vijay Barse in Nagaraj Manjule’s next. Barse rose to fame, when he established the Nagpur based NGO Slum Soccers which helps slum kids find their bearings through the game of football.
Though he is more than happy to speak about his adulation for Bachchan, Manjule is reluctant to talk about the project he will start shooting with the megastar in October.
“Let’s just say, it is based on a real-life character. But the way I’ve written the part and the film, it moves very far away from the original source,” he said.
Manjule has been writing his new Bachchan film for a good two years.
“And before that I was researching on the subject. I don’t mind spending time on my script. I spent a good 8 years on the script of Sairat. I wrote it with only Bachchan Saab in mind. I’ve been his fan from childhood.
“I grew up copying his clothes, speech and mannerisms from Majboor and Deewaar. I’d go to school with my shirt tied like Bachchan Saab in Deewaar and get severely reprimanded by my teachers. But the punishment had no effect on me. I’d still do it,” he said.
However, when Manjule did get the chance to meet Bachchan, he managed to contain his adulation.
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“I don’t know how but I managed to remain calm, restrained and dignified. I actually wanted to jump out of my seat and dance around him. But I narrated my script in an even tone. I am happy I did that. I didn’t want to come across as just a fan. Of course I am a fan for lifetime. And someday when I complete my film with him I’ll tell him how much effort it took me to not gush and rave when I met him for the first time,” he said.
Right now, Manjule doesn’t feel burdened by the responsibility of living up to Sairat. “But yes, I want the audience to say I made a good film again. I don’t want people to say, “Yeh Nagaraj ne kya banaya hai?’