Math whiz Ramanujan scores high with filmmakers

RamanujamCF25may2013The recent interest in mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan has just grown deeper, with many Hollywood studios interested in chronicling his life on the big screen. Many actors are keen to play the world-renowned mathematician, who was born in Erode and grew up in Kumbakonam and, what was then, Madras. TOI lists a few actors who are in race to play the genius…

WHO: Madhavan
WHAT: Titled The Man Who Knew Infinity, the film was announced in late 2011. It was to be based on Robert Kanigel’s book of the same name and directed by Matt Brown. Oscarwinner Colin Firth was apparently approached to play Ramanujan’s mentor-friend Thomas Hardy.
STATUS: Madhavan has now been replaced by Dev Patel

WHO: Siddharth
WHAT: James Bond director Roger Spottiswoode announced that he will make A First Class Man, a The King’s Speech-like film, based on the friendship between Ramanujan and Hardy. The script had been completed in 2011 and shooting was supposed to begin in 2012.
STATUS: On hold at the moment.

WHO: Dev Patel
WHAT: The actor, who rose to fame with Slumdog Millionaire, is the latest to be approached to play the mathematical genius. The film is being produced by Prashita Chaudhary, who is one of the producers of Danis Tanovic’s film that stars Emraan Hashmi. Chaudhary will produce the film that’s based on the book The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life Of The Genius Ramanujan, with H’wood producer Edward R Pressman.
STATUS: The shooting for the film is expected to start in September, and it’ll be shot in parts of India and London.

WHO: Abhinay
WHAT: This young actor, who is the grandson of Kadhal Mannan Gemini Ganesan, is playing Ramanujan in a Tamil-English bilingual. The movie is being directed by National Award winning director Gnana Rajasekaran, who earlier worked on Bharathi, which chronicled the life of the famous poet Bharatiyar, and Periyar, which told the story of the social reformer.
STATUS: Currently being shot in Kumbakonam, where the mathematician studied and grew up in. Suhasini Mani Ratnam has been roped in to play Ramanujan’s mom in this project.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Regional / by Srinivas Ramanujam & M Suganth, TNN / May 21st, 2013