Jai Bhim-fame TJ Gnanavel, who is currently gearing up for the release of Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyan, announced on Monday that he would be helming Dosa King next. The film, centered around the rise and fall of restaurateur P Rajagopal, is co-written by Gnanavel and Sapta Saagaradaache Ello director Hemanth Rao. Mounted as a pan-India project, it is backed by Junglee Pictures.
According to the makers, “Dosa King is inspired by the shocking crime of the restaurant mogul, famously known as the ‘Dosa King,’ that triggered a landmark conviction after an intense 18-year legal battle-P Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu. The fictional drama chronicles events inspired by the rise and fall of the globally famous Saravana Bhavan, built by Rajagopal, and the fearless Jeevajothi who took on the powerful tycoon.”
Rajagopal was accused of obsessively trying to marry Jeevajothi, daughter of one of his assistant managers, upon the advice of an astrologer. The woman, who was already married, rejected the proposal, which enraged Rajagopal as he continued to harass the family for years. In 2001, he plotted the murder of her husband, Prince Santhakumar. The film is inspired by Jeevajothi’s tribulations with the restaurant mogul, resulting in his conviction in 2019. Rajagopal died by heart attack, just days after his imprisonment.
TJ Gnanavel, who has been following Jeevajothi’s story ever since his journalist days, believes there’s a lot more to the story than the details sensationalised by the press. “Dosa King is a hard-hitting story that exposes how the system functions, with a focus on the crime and thriller aspects of the narrative. I want to explore the extreme situations of life and tell a deeper story with an untold perspective on the case.” The makers are yet to share details regarding the cast and shooting schedules.
Vettaiyan, meanwhile, is slated to hit screens on October 10. Besides Rajinikanth, it also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Manju Warrier, Rana and Dushara Vijayan.