Hansal Mehta to helm web series on the alleged encounter of UPs ganglord; intends to explore the nexus of politics, crime and lawmakers
Vikas Dubey apprehended by the police on July 9. Pic/PTI
A large section of the population raised questions over the alleged encounter of Vikas Dubey on July 10. Even as the Supreme Court has ordered a three-member panel to investigate the matter, in Bollywood, the incident has caught the attention of filmmaker Hansal Mehta. The director is set to helm a web series on the notorious gangster, who had earned the moniker 'Gabbar of Bikru'.
A day after he was arrested in Ujjain on July 9, Dubey was shot dead while allegedly trying to flee from the custody of the Uttar Pradesh Police after the Special Task Force (STF) convoy met with an accident on the outskirts of Kanpur.
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Hansal Mehta
Producer Shailesh Singh, who has acquired the rights to tell his story, says, "I had been following the events closely and thought, why not tell this story to the entire nation and bring out the facts?" It took some convincing for Vikas Dubey's family to agree to part with the story. "It's a recent event, and they are still coping with it. Many people had approached them, but we managed to convince them after much persuasion. They want his story to be depicted with authenticity."
In the 30 years since his first criminal case in 1990, the history-sheeter faced as many as 61 FIRs. He found the national spotlight on him when he killed BJP leader Santosh Shukla inside the Shivli police station in 2001. Dubey's death on July 10 ended the eight-day chase that began on July 2 when his men killed eight UP police officers who had gone to Bikru to arrest him.
Shailesh Singh
Mehta, who has previously offered compelling dramas in Shahid, Aligarh and Omerta, believes there is more to the episode than meets the eye. "It is an important story, which is a reflection of our times where politics, crime and lawmakers form a curious nexus. I see an edgy political thriller emerging from this [material]." The director has yet to zero in on the cast. "I have some thoughts [on who I want to rope in], but let the writing happen first."
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