Abir Chatterjee, Tota Roy Choudhury to Lead Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Emperor vs Sarat Chandra’

Actors Abir Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudhury are set to headline Srijit Mukherji's upcoming period drama "Emperor vs Sarat Chandra", the director confirmed to The Telegraph Online.

The film will also feature Sohini Sarkar, Rudranil Ghosh, and television actress Divyani Mondal in key roles, alongside Kanchan Mallick and Satyam Bhattacharya.

"Emperor vs Sarat Chandra" explores the political upheaval sparked by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's landmark novel "Pather Dabi", one of his most politically charged works. First published in 1926, the book quickly drew the ire of the British colonial government for its revolutionary undertones and was banned as seditious by January 1927.

Through this film, Srijit Mukherji aims to chronicle not only the book's turbulent journey but also Sarat Chandra's own evolution—from penning celebrated social dramas such as "Devdas" and "Parineeta" to confronting political realities with "Pather Dabi". The narrative will delve into the author's resistance to the ban, his appeal to Rabindranath Tagore for support, and the intense public debates the controversy ignited.

Produced jointly by Shrikant Mohta and Mahendra Soni under the SVF banner with Rana Sarkar's Dag Creative Media, "Emperor vs Sarat Chandra" is Srijit Mukherji's tribute to Sarat Chandra on his 150th birth anniversary and the centenary of "Pather Dabi."

Filming is scheduled to begin in November, with the period drama set for a theatrical release on May 1, 2026. The director has yet to reveal who will portray Sarat Chandra or whether the novel's enigmatic protagonist, Sabyasachi, will appear on screen.