Jai Bhim-fame TJ Gnanavel to helm drama-thriller Dosa King

Tamil filmmaker TJ Gnanavel, best known for his acclaimed 2021 film Jai Bhim, will make his Hindi cinema debut with a biographical drama thriller titled Dosa King.

According to sources, this is a film about a woman named, Jeevajothi Santhakumar and her battle against hotelier P Rajagopal, an accused in a 2001 murder case. Junglee Pictures owners have taken the life rights in all languages of Jeevajothi Santhakumar, for literary and audio-video content.

Reportedly, Rajagopal, who was the founder of Saravana Bhavan, a popular South Indian food chain, wanted to marry Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his employees at his restaurant. As Jeevajothi was already married, Rajagopal hatched a criminal conspiracy to eliminate her husband, Prince Santhakumar. And in 2001, Prince Santhakumar was murdered and his body was found in Kodaikanal city of Karnataka.

A sessions court had convicted Rajagopal and four others to ten years of imprisonment, but later the Madras High Court set aside the sessions court's order and increased the jail term to a life sentence.

Rajagopal, better known as a family man and was revered by his employees and diners for his huge-hearted generosity, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest, in 2019.

Excited to helm the film, Gnanavel said, "I've observed the subject closely, following the case during my days as a journalist. I hope to bring out new dimensions through Jeevajothi's legal battle on screen. Today, directing this project and working on its characters feels surreal. I'm excited to begin this journey with Junglee Pictures which is known for developing some of the most iconic films in contemporary Indian Cinema."

Amrita Pandey, CEO of Junglee Pictures, in a statement, said, "Dosa King is a riveting tale that will require a keen eye while detailing the characters and story. Gnanavel's years as a journalist makes him a balanced filmmaker with an obsession for details and authenticity. We're beyond excited to partner with him to bring this captivating, unbelievable and inspiring saga to life." Details related to the film's cast have not been revealed yet.

Besides Jai Bhim, Gnanavel is known for directing Kootathil Oruthan (2017).