- By Tanya Garg
- Sun, 16 Nov 2025 02:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Actor, writer, director, and producer Randeep Hooda released Jay Patel's debut novel, Barrister Mr Patel, on the 150th anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth. He described how the idea came to him when the author contacted him from outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's home. "I clearly remember when my friend Jay called me from outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s house in London two years ago. He was deeply moved and told me, 'The world knows Sardar as the Iron Man of India and the unifier of our nation, but very few know about his brilliance as a student, his intelligence, and his journey as a world-class barrister."
Randeep Hooda recalled, "I told him right then, 'You must write that story.' That’s how the title Barrister Mr Patel was born. I’m so proud that through this book, the new generation will learn about the knowledge, courage, and sacrifices of our freedom fighters who shaped modern India."
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Randeep Hooda and Jay Patel previously collaborated on Hooda's film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, in which Jay played revolutionary leader Shyamji Krishna Verma.
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The book, which was co-written with director Abhishek Dudhaiya, examines the academic and legal career of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Following Randeep Hooda's soft launch, the book was formally unveiled to the public at the International Book Festival 2025 by Hon. Bhupendra Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and Hon. Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. The occasion was part of a nationwide commemoration honouring the legacy of Sardar Patel.
Barrister Jay Patel's two years of research, which included fieldwork in London and archival work, resulted in Mr Patel. The book focuses on Sardar Patel's early years, including his legal education, sharp mind, self-discipline, and the principles that eventually enabled him to unify more than 560 princely republics into a single nation.