John Abraham or Nawazuddin Siddiqui could play the role of a Maoist rebel from Jharkhand.

Iqbal Durrani, best known as the writer and director of Khuddar, the 1994 film starring Govinda and Karisma Kapoor, will make a film on the life of former CPI(Maoist) guerrilla Kanhu Munda.

Durrani, who was in the steel city on Saturday, announced at a news meet at the United Club that his upcoming film, Ghatshila, will be based on the transformation of Kanhu Munda, who had surrendered in 2017 along with six others.

“I met Kanhu Munda in prison and learnt about his life. How he became a Naxalite and how he transformed. This could be a wonderful story. I could have also made a film in Chhattisgarh but since I belong to this land (he was born in undivided Bihar) it was my responsibility towards my people,” said Durrani, who is an alumnus of Tata College, Chaibasa.

Durrani said more than the state film policy that provides subsidy to shoot here, the story compelled him to make a film on Jharkhand.

For the lead role, he said he would try to rope in either John Abraham or Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

The film is expected to go on the floor later this year.

“I shall consider locals as a part of the film crew. So far the number of tribals in the Hindi film industry is negligible and someday I would want to see some megastar from Jharkhand,” said Durrani.

On February 5, Durrani launched another film, A Gandhi before Gandhi, based on tribal icon Birsa Munda. Governor Droupadi Murmu launched the film at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

A movie shot 50 per cent in Jharkhand is eligible to get Rs 1 crore from the government. More than two-thirds of a film’s shooting in the state enables the production house to get up to Rs 2 crore.

Only films with a budget of over Rs 8 crore can apply for the subsidy.