Sudha Kongara shares Raju Hirani and Paresh Rawal encouraged her to make 'Sarfira'

, this movie promises to take audiences on a journey based on Gopinath's inspiring memoir, 'Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey.' Starring Akshay Kumar, 'Sarfira' marks not the first time Kongara tackles this captivating story, but it promises a fresh perspective with a new leading man.
The inspiring story of G. R. Gopinath, the man who democratized air travel in India, takes flight once again! Director Sudha Kongara Prasad, who captivated audiences with the National Award-winning Tamil film Soorarai Pottru, returns to tell Gopinath's tale in a new language, Hindi.This time, titled 'Sarfira,' the film stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role.
But what sparked this reimagining? In an interview with News18 Showsha, Kongara revealed it was the dream team of Raju Hirani and Paresh Rawal that drew her back to Gopinath's incredible journey.
Sudha Kongara shared that the plan to create the Hindi version of the story was conceived well before the Tamil version was even released. She mentioned that Paresh Rawal supported the idea of making the film in Hindi, and after completing it, Raju Hirani also encouraged her to bring the story to the Hindi audience.
She shared, “I always show my films to Raju Hirani, and I remember taking Soorarai Pottru to Raju sir in Mumbai on March 19, 2020, just before the lockdown. When I had certain doubts, I asked him. I had one particular doubt, so I wanted the answer [from him]. I took the film to him; he saw it, and he really, really liked the film. He said that we should do it in Hindi. He also said he would come on board in any capacity, and we should do it in Hindi. He immediately called Suriya and [pitched the idea]."
She recalled that he repeatedly said they could choose any actor and adapt the film as needed, as long as she directed it in Hindi. She mentioned discussing it with Suriya at the time, but admitted she didn't take it seriously then.
Actors approached us, and there were also several actors who approached Guneet. One of the main reasons many stars showed interest was because of Paresh, sir. From the moment he heard the story, he emphasized that it should be a Hindi film, appealing to a pan-Indian audience. He consistently expressed this view during the filming of Soorarai Pottru. After delivering his lines, he would often look at me and suggest, "But you should make this in Hindi." I believe the idea was always present, but it became clearer when Akshay Sir and Vikram (Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment) reached out to us. After that, we were fully committed to the project, Sudha recalled.
Interestingly, Paresh also plays the role of a rival airline owner who creates obstacles in the film.
Written by Sudha and Shalini Ushadevi, with dialogues by Pooja Tolani and featuring music by G.V. Prakash Kumar, "Sarfira" is produced by Aruna Bhatia (Cape of Good Films), South stars Suriya and Jyotika (2D Entertainment), and Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment). Get ready for an exciting journey of ambition, determination, and the pursuit of dreams as 'Sarfira' hits theaters on July 12th.