Prakash Jha to direct biopic on math genius Schizophrenia cut short Vashishtha Narayan Singh's illustrious career

| Patna | Published 28.07.18, 12:00 AM

Vashishtha Narayan Singh and (below) Namrata Sinha, Preeti Sinha and Amod Sinha address the media on Friday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna: Filmmaker Prakash Jha will direct a biopic on the unusual story of Bihar mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh.

The film would be produced by Reel Life Entertainment in association with Vinay Sinha and Priti Sinha's Vinay Pictures. It is being co-produced by Namrata Sinha and Amod Sinha. Vinay Sinha has earlier produced the hit comedy film Andaz Apna Apna, David, Stumped and Pehchan.

Vinay's daughter Priti made the announcement in Patna on Friday along with Namrata and Amod. Priti said the cast of the movie would be announced soon and muhurat (opening shot) of the film will be shot in Bihar. "I've been reading about and tracking Vashishtha Narayan Singh's life for years," producer Vinay Sinha said. "His is a story of highs and lows and now we are all set to produce a film on him. I couldn't be happier."

The mathematician hails from Bhojpur district and was born on April 2, 1942. He became a legend when Patna University allowed him to take the 2-year BSc (Hons) in mathematics course in its very first year. He received a PhD on Reproducing Kernels and Operators with a Cyclic Vector from University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. After his PhD, he worked on space theory at Nasa and returned to India in 1973 to teach at prominent institutions. He had also challenged Einstein's theory of relativity.

After his marriage in 1974, he suffered from schizophrenia. A few years later, he and his wife parted ways because of his illness. He went missing for a few years and has been languishing in penury.

"I share my father's deep interest in the life of the genius that is Vashishtha Babu and that's why I want to announce our film today, on my father's birthday," Priti said. "To add to the excitement, Prakash Jha has agreed to direct our dream project." Prakash was not in Patna but communicated to the production house, saying Vashishtha is a brilliant mathematician from Bihar.

"He is our national treasure. His life is so inspiring. I would love to direct a biopic on him," Jha said in a press note issued by the production house. Priti said the cast and crew of the film are being finalised and talks are on with a lead actor to play Vashishtha. "My father, Prakash ji and Vashishtha Babu all hail from Bihar. That's why we've come from Mumbai to announce this project," Priti said. If all goes well, the film would be released in one and half years, she said.