‘I Am Chippendales,’ the drama about the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Chippendales co-founder Somen “Steve” Banerjee, is finally moving forward with the news that Dev Patel (‘Lion’) is in talks to play Banerjee.
Adapted from Rodney Sheldon’s book, the film is described as ‘Scarface’ meets ‘Magic Mike’ and tells the story of how the Bombay-born immigrant went from pumping gas to owner of the high-end strip club that evolved into the all-male exotic dance troupe. Banerjee’s wealth led to extreme paranoia, prompting him to hire a hitman to kill Nick DeNoia, a New York choreographer who had played a big part in the expansion of the troupe’s act on a global level.
The film, 20 years in the making, has Ben Stiller (‘Zoolander,’ ‘While We’re Young’) attached in the role of DeNoia.
Isaac Adamson will provide the script, while Permut Presentations’ David Permut, Michel Litvak and Gary Michael Walters of Bold Films, and Red Hour’s Stiller and Nicky Weinstock produce.