Sandeep Singh: Showed Pankaj AI-created image of him as Atal ji

Pankaj Tripathi

Few know that during his college days, Pankaj Tripathi aspired to join politics. After college, however, he found his calling in acting. But fate works in mysterious ways. Today, the actor finds himself playing the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most beloved prime ministers, in Main Atal Hoon. Producer Sandeep Singh says that Tripathi was among the first to join the Ravi Jadhav-directed biopic.

"While doing research for the project in 2021, we approached Pankaj. There was no narration as we hadn't even written the story. I showed Pankaj an AI-created image of him as the character, but he couldn't believe it was him. After I convinced him, Pankaj said yes to the film without a bound script," recalls Singh, who then reached out to Jadhav to helm the movie. "Ravi wanted to direct the film. But apart from him and me, everybody was against the decision. They felt, how can a Marathi filmmaker direct a story [largely set in] Uttar Pradesh?"

Sandeep Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee

In some ways, Tripathi is an apt choice as he shares the late prime minister's mild manners and affable nature. Singh says that the actor, a stickler for prep, did extensive research for the role as he knew it would be one of his most significant offerings. "This is the first film where Pankaj called his acting teacher and took tips. He also watched all of Vajpayee's speeches and interviews on news channels, and even met some of the journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai and Prabhu Chawla, who had interviewed the late politician. Pankaj spoke to Atal ji's adopted daughter, Namita Bhattacharya, and asked people whether they thought he could play this character with conviction. He felt that many actors, who did biopics, often ended up [doing] mimicry. He wanted to keep his role a mix of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
and himself."

As he played the politician and poet, Tripathi wanted to understand the leader's mindset; the physical prep was secondary. Singh adds, "Pankaj would always say ‘Mujhe bahar se Atal nahin dikhna hai, mujhe andar se Atal hona hai.' Atal ji's favourite dish was khichdi. So, during the shoot, Pankaj started eating home-made khichdi as he wanted to get into the skin of his character. This film starts from Atal ji's childhood when he was rejected as a poet in school, tracing how he went on to become a famous politician and orator, and ends in 1999."