Anupam Kher and Modi
Anupam Kher and ModiTwitter

Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who is known to openly support Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in general and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular, is all set to play the role of Congress leader and former prime minister Manmohan Singh in an upcoming film based on the book written by Singh's former media adviser, Sanjay Baru.

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Baru had served as Manmohan Singh's adviser from 2004 to 2008 and had written the book called The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh in 2014 where in he was critical of Singh's first term as PM. The book was released in the year 2014.

The movie which is set to hit theatres in 2018 just before the 2019 general election, is being produced by Sunil Bohra. National award-winning director Hansal Mehta has written the screenplay for the film, which will be directed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte. The first look of the movie will be unveiled on Wednesday (June 6).

Bohra said the film would be a "political drama grander than Richard Attenborough's Academy award-winning Gandhi."

The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh
The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan SinghAmazon-screengrab

According to the Economic Times, Bohra said, "The research on the movie is already over. Auditioning (for the remaining cast) is in its final lap. The movie will hit the screens next year."

Kher, who is eager to take up the challenge, said, "Acting the role of anyone in contemporary history is extremely challenging, as comparisons are bound to be instant and inevitable."

"But, as I have always revelled in challenges right from my first film Saaransh, I look forward to the experience of portraying PM Manmohan Singh," added Kher, who had appeared in over 400 movies and plays.