Hotel Saravana Bhavan founded in Chennai, Tamil Nadu is South India's largest chain of vegetarian restaurants, and they have branches all over the world. The brand was founded and revolutionized by a Tuticorin-based man named P. Rajagopal (deceased in 2019) who through a murder crime, was exposed of several nefarious activities. In 2001 Rajagopal was taken to court by Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his employees, whom he had harrassed to no extent into leaving her then husband Prince Santhakumar, before eventually murdering him.
This case had captured the public's imagination till P. Rajagopal died at age 72, without serving a single day of his life sentence, ordered by the court in 2009. TJ Gnanavel, who has a journalism background and made his directorial debut with the Suriya starrer Jai Bhim, is now bringing this story on-screen.
The movie is titled Dosa King (P. Rajagopal's nickname) and will be shot in Hindi. Bollywood production house Junglee Pictures is bankrolling the project. TJ Gnanavel whose Jai Bhim was also based on a real-life tragic case said of his new project,
“I’ve observed the subject closely, following the case during my days as a journalist. I hope to bring out new dimensions through Jeevajothi’s legal battle on screen. Today, directing this project and working on its characters feels surreal. I'm excited to begin this journey with Junglee Pictures who are known for developing some of the most iconic films in contemporary Indian Cinema.”
P. Rajagopal who had risen from humble roots, had a reputation of treating his employees to cushy benefits, before shipping them off to work at a location far away from their family. He would then prey on the vulnerable women who were left without a male guard.
Jeevajothi was the daughter of one of the managers at Saravana Bhavan too. She was 20 and married to her love-interest Prince, when she had resisted a mid-50s, married twice, Rajagopal's advances [Rajagopal's second wife was formerly married to one of his employees]. Rajagopal had Prince Santhakumar abducted and murdered while he was travelling with Jeevajothi and family in 2001.
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[September 10, 2024: Update] Dosa King is jointly written by Jai Bhim, Vettaiyan director TJ Gnanavel and Kannada filmmaker Hemanth M Rao, famous for co-writing Sri Ram Raghavan's Andhadhun (2018). The movie is being made as a fictional drama, that chronicles the rise and fall of P. Rajagopal's globally famous empire Saravana Bhavan, and the fearless Jeevajothi Santhakumar who took on the powerful tycoon.
Amrita Pandey, CEO of Junglee Pictures says about their upcoming film, “Dosa King is a thrilling narrative that demands a masterful blend of scale, drama, and entertainment. We’re beyond excited to team up with the meticulous Gnanavel to bring this monumental film to life. Hemanth and Gnanavel, through extensive research, have crafted a script with such powerful twists, turns, and nuances of each character, making it a high-octane commercial and cinematic experience. We’re thrilled to be taking it to top-tier talent soon, and we can’t wait to start filming soon.”
TJ Gnanavel who awaits the release of the multi-starrer Vettaiyan lead by Rajinikanth on October 10, 2024, has additionally added,
“I’ve been following Jeevajothi’s story since my days as a journalist. While the press sensationalized many details, much of the story remains untold. Dosa King is a hard-hitting story that exposes how the system functions, with a focus on the crime and thriller aspects of the narrative.
I want to explore the extreme situations of life and tell a deeper story with an untold perspective on the case. This film is my chance to share a story I witnessed first hand 20 years ago, and I’m thrilled to partner with Junglee Pictures, a studio known for backing important stories that need to be told.”