NEW DELHI: Perhaps for the first time in living memory, a feature film based on a real-life character is being released after being shown to him following a Court order.

"Mudrank", the controversial film on the fake stamp paper scam, is expected to be released on 23 May as it was given the green signal by scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi in Yerwada (Pune) Jail on 22 April last month. The film was shown to the undertrial after he filed a petition against the filmmakers, though they had already got a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification.

The film’s director Shakir Sheikh told a news conference here that the film has generally stuck to the true story of Telgi, though the name of the central character has been changed to Abdul Rehman Velgi.

Shakir Sheikh, who hails from Pune, has made a couple of films in Marathi and is making his debut in Hindi with ‘Mudrank’. The film stars Kailash Manav in the role of Velgi, and others in the cast include Milind Gunaji, Shahbaz Khan, Raza Murad, Deepak Shirke, Anjan Srivastav, Amita Nangia, Shiva, Aly Khan and Nirmal Pandey.

It also includes Rakhee Sawant, Sambhavna Seth, Aliza Khan and Elena in four item songs. Justifying the songs, Sheikh said research had shown Telgi was fond of visiting dance bars in Mumbai. Seth who was present said though Sawant was a known face, she felt she had performed better as a dancer. The music for the film has been scored by Bappi Lahiri.

Though the film was completed by the mid of last year, it was delayed initially by the CBFC and later because of litigation. The film is being released in Mumbai territory by the producer Bhagwan Saungar himself.

Kailash Manav, a stage actor for almost 17 years, said he was chosen because he resembles Telgi to a large extent, and Sheikh decided to make the film only after meeting Manav. The actor studied the mannerisms of Telgi for some time, and the film was then shot in a period of one month.

Sheikh said he had been able to depict the true story of Telgi because the latter had pleaded guilty in the main cases against him and only some minor cases were pending.