After the massive box-office success of Singham Again, Rohit Shetty is back with another project – a cop drama, but this time it’s based on a real-life hero. According to reports, the director is set to tell the story of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria. This biopic will star John Abraham and is reported to be made on a budget of more than Rs 100 crore. The movie will chronicle the life of Maria, and how he became a top cop from being a Bandra boy. The movie biopic will also focus on how the supercop protected Mumbai.
A Mid Day report quoted an insider saying, “Rohit always wanted to make a cop film rooted in truth. Rakesh Maria’s life reads like a thriller. It’s intense and has many high points, from his investigation of the 1993 Bombay blasts and the 26/11 attacks to his brush with the underworld. Maria and Shetty have been in talks for a while, and it’s finally starting now. With the autobiography serving as the blueprint, the film will trace the story of a Bandra boy becoming a cop, his relationship with Mumbai and how he played a crucial role in protecting the city that faced many attacks.”
“In the first schedule, Rohit will focus on Maria’s early days in the force. About 150 crew members will be on set, including action coordinators, prosthetics experts and a research team on standby. A set depicting the Maharashtra ATS headquarters will also be erected,” the report added.
A Pinkvilla report on this movie suggests that the Rakesh Maria biopic will be shot across 40 iconic locations all around Mumbai. The locations will include landmarks like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dongri, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, among many others. The movie is reported to start filming on April 18 at Esel Studio in Trombay, and will be shot for four months.