‘Syama – The Missing Chapter’: Madhur Bhandarkar announces film on Syama Prasad Mookerjee

National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar will bring Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee's life and political legacy to the big screen with his upcoming film, tentatively titled Syama – The Missing Chapter.

Announced on Friday, 23 October 2026, the project will blend historical drama with political thriller elements. The film is scheduled to go on floors in 2027.

Producer Aditya Kumar Halwasiya will back the film, which Bhandarkar Entertainment and AKH Ventures will jointly produce.

Bhandarkar will take up the project after completing his upcoming film, The Wives of Bollywood. The makers have yet to announce the cast, release date, or other production details.

The narrative will trace Mookerjee’s journey from academia to national politics. He became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta before joining independent India’s first Union Cabinet under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

A key part of the film will focus on Mookerjee’s ideological differences with the Nehru government and his subsequent resignation from the Cabinet.

It will also examine his role in founding the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951, the political organisation that later became an important precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The film is also expected to revisit Mookerjee’s 1953 campaign against the permit system in Jammu and Kashmir and the circumstances surrounding his death while in detention. These episodes remain significant to discussions of his political legacy and the region’s post-Independence history.

Speaking about the project, Bhandarkar described the subject as a challenging responsibility. He said he hoped to bring this chapter of Indian history to the screen with honesty, sensitivity and a fresh perspective.

Producer Halwasiya said the film aimed to introduce a new generation to Mookerjee’s life, convictions and contribution to India’s political history.

With its focus on a prominent yet politically contested figure, ‘Syama – The Missing Chapter’ will place a significant chapter of modern Indian history at the centre of Bhandarkar’s next cinematic venture.

How the film balances documented events, political differences and historical interpretation will be closely watched as production progresses.