Tamil filmmaker TJ Gnanavel, best known for his critically acclaimed film Jai Bhim, is all set to helm biographical drama Dosa King. The film will follow the life a woman named Jeevajothi Santhakumar, and her decades-long battle against P. Rajagopal, late founder of Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants. After the long legal fight, Rajagopal was convicted for the murder of Jeevajothi's husband Prince Santhakumar.
Rajagopal wanted to marry Jeevajothi, who was the daughter of an employee at Saravana Bhavan. According to reports, Rajagopal was told by an astrologer that marrying Jeevajothi would bring him luck and increase his fortunes. She refused his proposal. Later, Rajagopal hatched a conspiracy to murder her husband Prince.
A sessions court had initially convicted Rajagopal and four others to ten years of imprisonment. Later the Madras High Court increased the jail term to a life sentence, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Rajagopal suffered a heart attack and died in July 2019.
The film will be bankrolled by Junglee Pictures. Talking about Dosa King, said in a statement, “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 which is known for developing some of the most iconic films in contemporary Indian cinema.”
