Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed on Thursday that the state government is actively pursuing director Aditya Dhar to helm a big-budget, Hindi-language biopic. The focus of the project? Legendary 17th-century Ahom general Lachit Borphukan.
Sarma announced the potential collaboration during a Facebook Live session, noting that he recently discussed the cinematic initiative with the acclaimed filmmaker. Dhar is currently one of the most sought-after directors in the Indian film industry. He established his military action credentials with Uri: The Surgical Strike and recently dominated the box office with his Dhurandhar spy thrillers.
Now, the state wants him to translate Borphukan’s military genius into a mainstream commercial spectacle. The general is most famously celebrated for leading the Ahom forces to a decisive victory against the Mughal Empire during the 1671 Battle of Saraighat.
Sarma confirmed that a detailed meeting is scheduled for August with Dhar to hammer out the scale and vision for the undertaking. The state’s objective is straightforward. They want to push the story of one of Assam’s greatest heroes to a global audience.
This isn’t a standard studio pitch. The Assam government’s explicit plan to directly sponsor and produce a commercial Bollywood-tier film operates as an aggressive cultural export strategy. And the administration isn’t leaving room for failure.
Sarma bluntly stated that if the deal with Dhar falls through, the state remains fully committed to the project. If necessary, they will immediately approach other prominent Bollywood directors to bring the vision to life.