Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan is set to star in a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The film, titled Maa Vande, was announced on Wednesday, September 17, coinciding with Modi’s birthday.
Sharing the announcement on social media, Unni Mukundan described the project as “a man’s story that rises beyond battles… to become a revolution for the ages.”
Maa Vande is expected to release in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Gujarati, Marathi, and other Indian languages. The title and its tagline, ‘The anthem of a mother,’ suggest the film may focus on Modi’s relationship with his mother, Heeraben Modi.
The announcement comes in the backdrop of a recent controversy in poll-bound Bihar, where alleged abuse directed at Modi and his mother was reported during the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' organised by the RJD and Congress. A person identified as Mohammad Rizvi has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Maa Vande will be directed by Kranthi Kumar, with a team of well-known technicians including K Senthil Kumar, Sabu Cyril, Ravi Basur, and Sreekar Prasad. The film’s release date is yet to be announced.
Unni Mukundan was last seen in Marco, which faced criticism for its graphic violence, leading the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to block its satellite telecast.
Biopics on political figures have often generated debate in India. In 2019, Vivek Oberoi starred in PM Narendra Modi, which faced controversy as its scheduled release coincided with the general elections. Concerns were raised by the Opposition over the film being used as political propaganda to influence the elections, prompting the film’s release to be postponed until after the results. PM Narendra Modi was finally released on May 24, 2019, but it was ultimately a box-office failure.
More recently, Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi, a biopic of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was also released. Other notable political biopics include Thackeray (2019), based on Bal Thackeray’s life, and Thalaivii (2021), which chronicled Jayalalithaa’s biography.