Dutt to reprise Sai Kumar in Prasthanam Hindi remake

While it might not have been a big draw at the Tollywood box-office when it released in 2010, Deva Katta’s political drama ‘Prasthanam’ attained a cult status over a period of time. Though names like Ajay Devgn and Prakash Raj were bandied about to feature in the Hindi remake early this decade, we hear that Sanjay Dutt has the rights with him.

A source close to the development confirms, “Dutt watched ‘Prasthanam’ months after it released in Telugu and impressed by it big time, wanted to do star in the remake back then itself and even had a word with Deva Katta about it. But after the Supreme Court sentenced him to five years in jail in March 2013 due to his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, the project failed to go on to floors.

But with him back in action now, ‘Prasthanam’ remake is one of the many films he green-lit. His wife Manyata Dutt too was instrumental in the remake taking shape. He’d be producing it on his own with help from a second party, the negotiations of which are on.”

The source adds, “Dutt would be playing the part that Sai Kumar essayed. Except for the love track (which involved Sharwanand and Ruby), the director hadn’t tweaked the script much. He felt the romantic track was the weak link in ‘Prasthanam’ and is currently re-working on it for the remake.”

The source further noted that while ‘Prasthanam’ dealt with the politics of Vijayawada, Deva is yet to zero on the backdrop for the Hindi version. “The film might be set in Nashik or Varanasi and two versions of the script are being readied by writer Ameet Mehta of ‘Don 2’ fame at present.

The chances of the film going to floors after ‘Bhoomi’ (Dutt’s present film) are high but if that’s not a possibility given the actor’s other commitments, then it would be his third film after his incarceration in Yerwada Jail.”

By Nagaraj Goud