Farah Khan to direct Rajesh Khanna biopic produced by Nikhil Dwivedi

Actor-producer Nikhil Dwivedi is set to produce a biopic on late actor Rajesh Khanna, who is often known as the "First Superstar" of Bollywood. 

According to Times of India, the film will be based on Gautam Chintamani’s book, Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna. Farah Khan has been tapped to direct. 

Dwivedi said that the thought of turning Chintamani's book into a film was something he wanted to do for a long time. 

"It perfectly encapsulates the man behind the most iconic star our country has seen. There is so much intrigue attached to him. He had a regal personality. His career saw a dip, but he bounced right back. He was not meant to be in the business, but not only did he step into it, but he also conquered it. At no point in his career did he lose that regal aura. There are varied aspects to his personality which have been captured well in the book. The story of Rajesh Khanna’s life should have been told a long time ago. People who really knew him understood what made him so special," he said.

He added that the subject will be explored "tastefully" and "respectfully", and the makers intend to only show the "true and real" aspects of Khanna's life and career that is devoid of any sensationalism. 

Dwivedi also said that he will seek consent to go ahead with the biopic from Khanna's family. The casting, he said, will be the director's call. 

Khanna made his debut with the 1967 film Aakhri Khat, written-directed by Chetan Anand, which went on to be India's official entry to the International Feature Oscar. He then starred in a long list of hits, and later in life joined politics. He died after a bout of illness in 2012. 

Dwivedi has previously produced Dabangg 3 and Veere Di Wedding. Khan's last directorial was Happy New Year in 2014.