Biographer Yasser Usman, author of Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story, Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar, Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood’s Bad Boy and Rekha: The Untold Story, says honest biopics are becoming increasingly rare.
Biographer Yasser Usman, author of Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story, Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar, Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood’s Bad Boy and Rekha: The Untold Story, says honest biopics are becoming increasingly rare. “Most have turned into PR and brand-building exercises,” he notes, pointing to the pressures of high budgets and the need for approvals from subjects or families. “That often means no controversy, no criticism and no uncomfortable truths. What emerges is a polished narrative designed to avoid legal trouble and appeal to fans.” “In India,” he adds, “even political and historical biopics increasingly double up as tools of perception management.”
He cites Sanju as a clear example, calling it a “multi-crore PR exercise” that glossed over key relationships and softened serious issues. “Even globally, films like Michael reflect a shift, turning layered lives into safe, simplified stories.”
