Satish Kaushik to bring dead' to life in new venture Kaagaz

Lucknow: The “dead” will be brought to life soon. The story of persons being declared “dead” in revenue records in UP with the intention of usurping their property has been told and retold several times but now this story will come alive on the big screen.

Well-known actor-director Satish Kaushik, these days, is busy filming his latest venture Kaagaz in and around Lucknow and Sitapur.

The story revolves around Lal Bihari of Azamgarh who was declared dead in revenue records and his property was usurped by his relatives.

Lal Bihari fought a long and arduous battle for almost 19 years before he could prove to the state government that he was very much alive.

Lal Bihari kidnapped a stranger and confessed to his crime in the police station so that the police would file a case against him, hence proving that he was alive. But the police refused to register a case against him stating that he was deceased.

The film will also show how Bihari gave a bribe of '500 to the SHO to file a case against him and though the SHO did take the bribe, he did not file the case. Lal Bihari also fought an election against VP Singh and filed his nomination against Rajiv Gandhi. Later, Bihari fought a case in court to prove that he was well, alive and kicking and finally won the case.

Lal Bihari then added the suffix “Mritak” to his name and is known as Lal Bihari Mritak.

Later, he realised that there were many more like him who had been declared “dead” in revenue records with the active connivance of revenue officials and their property was shared bet-ween relatives and officials. He set up “Mritak Sangh” that now takes up such cases.

The idea of making a film on Lal Bhari Mritak was born almost a decade ago and actor Anil Kapoor was slated to play the lead. The film was inordinately delayed and is finally on the floors.

According to Mr Kaushik, “I decided on ‘Kaagaz’ as the title because everything, from birth to death, divorce, to agreement, is done on papers. Without valid papers, a person cannot even prove his identity.”

Lal Bihari, meanwhile, is delighted that the film is being made on his journey. “I hope this film will create some awareness about this problem that has become a way of life in rural areas. I also hope that the government will wake up to this reality,” he said.