Why Anupam Kher's The Accidental Prime Minister Has Twitter Worried

New Delhi: Anupam Kher is playing Dr Manmohan Singh in the film version of Sanjaya Baru's book The Accidental Prime Minister and Twitter has both a burning question - will the film have dialogue? - and a fervent wish - that it will. In his decade as Prime Minister, from 2004 to 2014, Dr Manmohan Singh was criticized for his extreme reticence. Widely admired as a politician of rare acumen and uncommon integrity, Dr Singh was nonetheless also censured for his silence and perceived inaction on corruptions scandals - like the 2G spectrum - that marked his tenure in office. It seems, from a cursory glance of Twitter this morning when #TheAccidental PrimeMinister was a top trend, that Dr Singh is most remembered for his failure to speak.

Will this be a silent film, Twitter wants to know:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Twitter has also found it ironic that Anupam Kher, a vocal supporter of the current BJP government, should be cast as a Congress politician belonging to a regime he has been critical of. Actors would argue that their craft should be separate from their personal and political convictions.

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The book, a memoir by Sanjay Baru who was Dr Manmohan Singh's media advisor from 2004 to 2008, argues that as Prime Minister, Dr Singh was not entirely in charge and that Congress President Sonia Gandhi was the real power behind the throne. The Prime Minister's Office distanced itself from the book when it was published in April 2014, before Dr Singh's government was voted out.

Few details of the film version of The Accidental Prime Minister have been revealed, include casting decisions other than Mr Kher who looks uncannily like Dr Singh on the poster.

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Anupam Kher, known for his acclaimed performances in films like Saaransh and Silver Linings Playbook. He last appeared in Naam Shabana this year and has the films Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and The Big Sick lined up for release.