Harsh Mishra: Pt Birju Maharaj ji was keen to play himself

Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj

Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj's life inarguably has enough fodder for the making of a biopic. Who better than his nephew Harsh Mishra, a VFX supervisor and director? Harsh's horror short The Last Ride won awards at the Cult Cinema Film Festival and Shankhnaad Film Festival earlier this year.

"We have biopics on sports icons, and actors but none on a classical legend. We know Pt Birju Maharaj ji as a choreographer, who was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan, but we don't know anything about his journey, struggle, and legacy," says Mishra of his uncle, who passed away on January 16 at the age of 84. The inspirational offering will be a celebration of the art of kathak, and will showcase how Pt Birju Maharaj adapted it for modern times.

Harsh Mishra with Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj

Apparently, the film won't follow the traditional narrative format of biopics. Declining to reveal anything at this point, Mishra, who will co-direct with Akash Barthwal, says, "Throughout our history, we have witnessed the pain and suffering of our people in different fields, which made me realise that it takes decades and centuries of dedication and hard work to retain any kind of integrity within a system. Similarly, I have heard and seen my family go through the same effort and hard work just to retain a spiritual dance art form kathak, which is just not limited to dance but a lifestyle within itself."

Interestingly, Mishra, who has been planning this film since 2015, had discussed it with his uncle and sought his approval. Moreover, the legend was to play himself in the older version of his character. "I had spoken to him at length several times about this movie. He was keen to play himself in the later part of the narrative. However, he passed away before the film could be made. So, I'll be looking at casting another actor to play Maharaj ji in his later years."

Mishra plans to shoot the film in Mumbai, Maharaj's birthplace Lucknow, New Delhi, where he started teaching kathak at the age of 13, and a few overseas locations. "The research is extensive and it will take me this whole year to lock the screenplay. The idea is also to make it relatable to draw viewers to the theatres. A film like this can be made only once, so my focus and priority is to make it the best that I can."