The late Samaritan devoted 71 years to reuniting those separated at the Kumbh Mela
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 29, 2018)

Bollywood's revered dialogue, 'Kumbh ke mele mein bichchad gaye' might soon be tweaked around as producer Siddharth Roy Kapur vies for a film on the life of Rajaram Tiwari, who dedicated his life to reuniting those separated in the festival.

Bhule Bhatke Tiwari, as the late Samaritan was fondly called, is set to be represented in Kapur's film after the latter met his son, Umesh, to acquire the rights to depict their lives on screen. A source tells mid-day, "Tiwari's work has received global attention. Several publications have covered his 71-year-long mission to help people [lost in the mela, reunite]. His son, who resides in Allahabad, now carries forward this distinctive legacy. Siddharth and his team met Umesh and his family in Allahabad and Mumbai, before sealing the deal to acquire the life rights of Rajaram Tiwari, Umesh Tiwari and the family."

Tiwari had kicked off the noble deed in 1946, and helped reunite lakhs of people. The cultural festival sees a large gathering each year, with an approximate 120 million people having reportedly visited it in 2013.