After delivering a moderate performance at the box office, The Sabarmati Report was released on Zee5 on January 10, 2025. Released in theaters on November 15, 2024, The Sabarmati Report is based on the true story of Gujarat’s Godhra train burning incident when 69 Hindus were burnt alive. Directed by Dheeraj Sharma, The Sabarmati Report features Vikrant Massey as Samar Kumar, Raashii Khanna as Amrita Gill, Riddhi Dogra as Manika Rajpurohit, Digvijay Purohit as Rajeev (EBT head), Hella Stichlmair as Senior leader and more in the leading roles.
Since, you have landed on this page, True Scoop assumes that you have already watched the movie in theaters or on Zee5. Hence, you are querying about The Sabarmati Report Real Story or The Sabarmati Report True Story. One of the burning questions linked to The Sabarmati Report Real Story is the character of journalist Manika Rajpurohit and its real-life inspiration. Many social media users have pointed out that Manika Rajpurohit's character is based on real-life journalist Barkha Dutt and EBT is none other than a famous media organization that is still working.
Is Manika Rajpurohit based on real-life journalist Barkha Dutt?
An X page named The Analyzer shared the trailer of the movie with the caption, "Sabarmati Report has rightfully exposed the Venomous agenda run by Rajdeep & Barkha Gang in GODHRA. How they hid the pain of innocent Hindus BURNT down by a Communal Mob."
As a result, True Scoop tried to dig deep into the claims that Manika Rajpurohit's character is inspired by Barkha Dutt.
During a press briefing, a journalist asked the actors of The Sabarmati Report especially Riddhi Dogra whether she is portraying Barkha Dutt in the movie as she was the one who was doing on ground report when the Godhra incident happened. The video was shared by Lehren TV on their YouTube channel. True Scoop cannot verify the claims whether Manika Rajpurohit's character is based on Barkha Dutt.
Responding to it, actress Roddhi Dogra said, "If you are saying that she was on the ground, then she was on the ground and our movie is based on a true story. It's a true telling of what happened and how it happened. Whether be it one journalist or four journalists, this movie shows their perspective. It shows this perspective and also of English-speaking journalists.If you are taking her name (Barkha Dutt) then you are taking the right name."
"You are taking the name by following a true story right? We have also made the movie following the true story. But, you have to understand, you dont have to run behind a particular person. Don't take one person's name and run behind her. My character represented a system."
In 2002, Barkha Dutt was working as a journalist covering the violence in Gujarat. She was a group editor at NDTV at the time. Interestingly, the name of the news channel in The Sabarmati Report has been mentioned as EBT.
On The Sabarmati Report being called a propaganda movie, Vikrant Massey in a podcast with Subhankar Mishra said, "This is a very common question and it does not bother me. First, watch the film. My only answer to the allegations of Sabarmati Report a propaganda movie is you go and watch the movie on November 15 first. In politics, there might be only black and white. But, I don't think in life, there is only black and white."