Actors Abir Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudhury will lead the cast in Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming directorial Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, the filmmaker confirmed, reports The Telegraph Online.
Sohini Sarkar, Rudranil Ghosh, and television actress Divyani Mondal will also play significant roles, with Kanchan Mallick and Satyam Bhattacharya completing the ensemble cast.
Emperor vs Sarat Chandra will explore the political storm surrounding Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s landmark novel Pather Dabi, widely regarded as one of Sarat Chandra’s most politically-charged works.
Pather Dabi was published in 1926 and quickly drew the ire of the colonial government for its revolutionary undertones. By January 1927, the British administration banned the book, considering it seditious.
Through Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, Srijit aims to chronicle not just the book’s turbulent journey but also the writer’s evolution from penning social dramas such as Devdas and Parineeta to confronting political realities with Pather Dabi.
The film will also delve into Sarat Chandra’s resistance against the ban, his appeal to Rabindranath Tagore for support, and the societal debates the controversy sparked.
Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is being produced jointly by Shrikant Mohta–Mahendra Soni under SVF banner and Rana Sarkar’s Dag Creative Media.
"This is my tribute to Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay on his 150th birth anniversary and the 100th year of publication of Pather Dabi," the director said.
Filming for Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is scheduled to start in November, with the period drama set to release in theatres on May 1, 2026.
However, the filmmaker has yet to reveal who will portray Sarat Chandra, and has kept details under wraps regarding whether Sabyasachi, the mysterious protagonist of Pather Dabi, will make an appearance on screen.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
