Charles Sobhraj`s jailbreak saga now on celluloid

Mumbai: Producer Kumar Mangat is set to bring bikini killer Charles Sobhraj`s escapades on the big screen as `Jailbreak`. Directed by Prawaal Raman, it is said to be based on the dreaded murderer`s prison break from Delhi`s Tihar jail.

It was earlier to be a biopic to be produced by Sanjay Dutt, who was to play the lead role, but this was shelved due to legal issues. Mangat`s son Abhishek Pathak has now confirmed that the film is to be made in a new avtar. It is said to be made at a budget of Rs.40 crore. "We saw the vast research that Prawaal has done on Sobhraj and we did our own research too. We`ve now pooled our information and Prawaal, whom we find to be a very gifted storyteller, will be directing the biopic," said Pathak. Raman`s previous project with Sanjay was thrown into jeopardy after Sobhraj sued him for making a film on his life. "We`ll probably get rid of the original title `Charles and I` and call the film `Jailbreak`, because that is the aspect of the story that interests me at this point of time. Sobhraj`s 1986 jailbreak from Tihar would be the core of the film. "The film is based on Sobhraj`s jailbreak. It will definitely be inspired by the incident. But I`m not interested anymore in making a biopic on Sobhraj," said the director. The makers are planning to cast either Saif Ali Khan or Emraan Hashmi to play the lead role. "We`re looking at Emraan Hashmi or Saif Ali Khan," said Pathak. Raman says he is keen to talk to the policemen who had caught Sobhraj. "I find the cops involved in the arrest namely Mr. Amod Kanth and Mr.Madhurkar Zende far more inspiring than Sobhraj. So there will be three main male characters in `Jailbreak`. A man who spent 40 years of his life in prison doesn`t really interest me to base an entire film on him." IANS