Shiv Sena leader makes Sai Baba film

A film based on the life and times of late spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba will be released shortly. The film has been shot in locations in Nashik, Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh. Leading bhajan singer Anup Jalota is playing the role of Sathya Sai Baba.

Titled Aum Shri Satya Sai Baba, the film will also star Jackie Shroff, Sudhir Dalvi, Aryan Vaid, Kishori Shahane and Gargi Patel among others. The film is being produced under the banner of ‘Atman Films’, which is owned by former MLA Baban Gholap. Mr Gholap is also starring in the film.

Ricky Ranawat, the director of the movie, said Mr Jalota has a striking resemblance to the late Sai Baba and was the obvious choice. “Moreover, Jalota is also an ardent Sai Baba devotee and has been closely connected with him. Jalota, having worked under the late Baba, knows all his mannerisms, speaking style etc,” he said. The film’s music has been composed by Bappi Lahari. It is being produced by Balkrishna Shrivastav, with the script written by S. Sachindra. The songs and bhajans have been sung by Mr Jalota and fellow singers Sukhvinder Singh and Sumit Tappu, Mr Gholap told this paper. The film will be released simultaneously in Marathi, Hindi, English and Telugu languages.

Satya Sai Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju as the eighth child in a poor family in the village of Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, on November 23, 1926. He died on April 24, 2011.

Mr Gholap is a former social welfare minister and a six-time MLA from Deolali assembly constituency in Nashik City. He is also an acclaimed actor, director and produces films under his ‘Atman Films’ banner. He has produced, directed and acted in 16 films.