MUMBAI: Popular Bengali actor Jisshu Sengupta has been signed to play the role veteran actor Sobhan Babu in upcoming Jayalalithaa biopic, Thalaivi.

After months of contemplation, the makers zeroed in on Jisshu, who made his Telugu debut with NTR biopic last year. He played the role of well-known filmmaker and producer LV Prasad in the film.

 Thalaivi, being directed by Vijay, stars Kangana Ranaut in the role of former Tamil Nadu chief minister and legendary actor J Jayalalithaa. The film also stars Arvind Swami and Priyamani among others in key roles.

It’s worth mentioning that Jisshu was also part of Kangana’s Manikarnika, in which he played the role of Gangadhar Rao Newalkar.

Sobhan Babu is a veteran Telugu star. He and Jayalalithaa were rumoured to be in a relationship and shared a very close bond. Thalaivi will be made in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. It has been titled Thalaivi in all the languages.

Kangana, who was last seen in Panga, spent close to six months on prepping for this project.

 She underwent Bharatanatyam classes, learnt Tamil, and even spent hours in the prosthetic make up sessions.

 The project was announced along with its title and first-look poster last year on February 25, on the 71st anniversary of Jayalalithaa.

When Kangana was announced for the titular role, the choice was received with some backlash. Soon after the announcement, Vijay clarified his stand on roping in Kangana and why she’ll justify the character.

The film has music by GV Prakash Kumar while Nirav Shah will crank the camera. Veteran writer Vijayendra Prasad of Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame has been roped in to oversee the writing process.

The project has been on floors despite Jayalalithaa’s niece J Deepa filing a civil suit in the Madras High Court to restrain the team from making a biopic based on her aunt’s life.