Jisshu to play Chaitanya in Srijit's film

He was just 19 when he starred in Mahaprabhu for the small screen. The career-defining role as the 16th century Vaishnavite saint made

Jisshu U Sengupta

a household name and the actor remembers being mobbed every time he stepped out. So popular was the megaserial that Jisshu followed it up with a ‘pala’ — Mahaprabhu — which he did with his father, Ujjal Sengupta. Now, years later, Jisshu is set to reprise the role in Srijit Mukherji’s new film, which will possibly go on the floors next year.

The film, for which titles like Gourango Itikatha and Gouranger Sandhane have been thrown up, is currently at the research level. After successful films like Chotushkoneand Jaatishwar, Srijit has teamed up with Rana Sarkar for the venture. Incidentally, Rana was supposed to helm Srijit’s Noti Binodini, but it seems that project has been put on the back burner for now.

While the starting point of the film is not known, Srijit perhaps took a cue from Rana’s current serial,

Mahaprabhu Sree Chaitanya

, which began a year back and has been garnering high TRP since then. Said a source close to the film, “History and mythology are the flavours of the season. Mahaprabhu Sree Chaitanya’s popularity must have made the makers feel the need to mount a film on the same subject. While the serial traces Chaitanya’s childhood, his spiritual awakening and the preaching that etched his name in history, the film will cull out interesting stories of his life fit for a two-hour film. Sibasish Banerjee, who is researching the subject for the serial, will do so for the film, while the screenplay and the dialogues will be by Srijit.”

Jisshu and Srijit too have been friends for years and have done films like Nirbaak and Jaatishwar together. This year, the actor will be seen in two of Srijit’s films — Uma and

Ek Je Chhilo Raja

— before he begins shooting for the filmmaker’s next, Chowringhee. The collaboration will continue next year too, as the film on Chaitanya takes centrestage. Despite repeated calls, both Srijit and Rana remained unavailable for comment.