Actors Abir Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudhury are set to headline Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming directorial Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, the filmmaker told The Telegraph Online on Wednesday.
Sohini Sarkar, Rudranil Ghosh and television actress Divyani Mondal are also set to star in key roles. Kanchan Mallick and Satyam Bhattacharya round out the 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 told The Telegraph Online.
The filmmaker, however, has not revealed who will step into the shoes of Sarat Chandra. He also remained tightlipped about whether Sabyasachi, the enigmatic protagonist of Pather Dabi, will come alive on screen.
Filming for Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is expected to begin in November. The period drama is set to hit theatres on May 1, 2026.