Richie Mehta says he intended to strip away mythology and reveal human in Phoolan Devi with his biopic

Mumbai: Filmmaker Richie Mehta, whose biopic ‘Phoolan’ received a standing ovation at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, has said that the outlaw, on whom the film is based, was a “misunderstood legend”. For him, it was imperative to strip away the mythology and reveal the human underneath.

He said that Phoolan Devi's story demands to be told with honesty, and without compromise. He was drawn to a very specific chapter of Phoolan's life, the formative years before the world knew her name, contrasted with the period where she was a misunderstood legend.

‘Phoolan’ is an action drama that chronicles the extraordinary and tumultuous moment in the life of Phoolan Devi during a 48-hour siege. The film is based on Phoolan Devi's autobiography, ‘I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India's Bandit Queen’ published by Editions Robert Laffont.

Talking about the film’s world premiere at TIFF, writer-director and producer Richie Mehta said, “Phoolan Devi's story is one that demands to be told with honesty, and without compromise. I was drawn to a very specific chapter of Phoolan's life, the formative years before the world knew her name, contrasted with the period where she was a misunderstood legend. It felt essential to me to strip away the mythology and reveal the human underneath. The themes at the heart of her story, resilience in the face of adversity, the search for dignity, and the courage to claim one's own voice, are timeless”.

He further mentioned, “They resonate just as strongly today as they did then, across cultures and geographies. That is why this felt like the right moment to bring her story to the screen. From Poacher to Phoolan, Amazon MGM Studios has been a true creative collaborator, one that backs a filmmaker's vision and gives stories like these the global canvas they deserve. To witness the audience at TIFF rise to their feet, visibly moved, tells me that Phoolan's story has connected in exactly the way we hoped it would. I hope I have done justice to her voice and her story, the way she wanted the world to know”.

The film presents a visceral account of a young woman who defied every convention imposed upon her and seized her own destiny in a world determined to deny her one.

The world premiere of the film at TIFF was attended by Sneha Kumari, who delivers a breakthrough performance in the titular role of Phoolan Devi, alongside cast members Anurag Thakur, Aakash Dahiya, and Vikram Pratap Singh. They were joined on the red carpet by writer-director-producer Richie Mehta, and producers Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kanwal Kohli, Kishor Arora of Namah Pictures and Shilangi Mukherji, Director & Head of SVOD Business, Prime Video, India, representing Amazon MGM Studios, India, at the prestigious festival.

Produced by Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora, Kanwal Kohli and Richie Mehta, ‘Phoolan’ is a Namah Pictures production.

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