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The biopic "Saina" recently hit the big screens, with Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra playing the role of the 2012 London Olympics medallist. While the film was received with mixed responses, it has been able to draw much attention amidst the pandemic situation.
Saina Nehwal is an iconic figure in the history of Indian sports and there’s no doubt she deserved a biopic and have her story told, just as we relived the journeys of Milkha Singh, Sandeep Singh, and MS Dhoni.
Going forward, we have quite a few sports biopics lined-up in the upcoming year that are surely set to take the box-office by storm. While some of the plots are already popular with the common folk, some of them would re-establish the concerned person and the services catered to Indian sports.
Let's have a look at the upcoming sports biopics in 2021:
#1
Movie: Shabaash Mithu
Central character: Mithali Raj
Release Date: Not yet announced
Born in Jodhpur, Mithali Raj was introduced to the game at the age of 10, and her skill got better drastically during school days. Four years into the game, at the age of 14, Raj was selected for the women’s national cricket team. Having scored an unbeaten 114-run knock on her ODI debut, it was clear that the cricketer was destined for higher achievements.
She has played for over 20 years at the international level and has broken almost all the records possible. Mithali is now the highest run-scorer in Women’s ODIs, having surpassed predecessor Charlotte Edwards during the 2017 WODI World Cup.
Having played 214 matches in the format, the Indian has racked up 7098 runs at an astounding average of 51.06.
Her biopic, titled ‘Shabash Mithu,’ will star Tapsee Pannu and the release date is not announced yet.
Even though Test matches are not quite frequent in women’s cricket, Raj has made the most out of the 10 matches she has featured in, having scored a best of 214 in the same.
The legendary skipper has the distinction of leading a side – male or female to two 50-over World Cup finals, but the title has eluded her. She is now at the dusk of her career and building on her legacy.
#2
Movie: 83
Central characters: 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning team
Release Date: June 4, 2021
Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup at the iconic Lord’s, back on 25th June 1983 – a memory etched in every single cricket fan who kept an eye on their television sets. Others have caught a glimpse of the magical evening in replays.
For those who want to relive the experience once again and go through the entire journey of the historic triumph, the Kabir Khan-directed movie is all set to fill your appetite.
Ranveer Singh is set to portray the character of World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev, while Tahir Raj Bhasin and Saqib Salem will be seen playing the roles of Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath. The multi-starrer biopic will also feature popular actors like Pankaj Tripathy, Boman Irani and Deepika Padukone.
The cast trained at the Dharamshala Cricket Ground with former cricketers like Balwinder Sandhu and Yashpal Sharma back in April 2019. Ranveer Singh was even mentored by the great Kapil Dev to nail his role on celluloid.
The actors then fled to London on May 28, where the shooting was conducted on various locations. After a delay, the movie is set to be released on June 4, 2021.
#3
Movie: Maidaan
Central character: Syed Abdul Rahim
Release Date: October 15, 2021.
India might not be a powerhouse in Asian football right now, but there was a time when things were quite different. Syed Abdul Rahim revolutionized Indian football towards the end of the first half of the 20th century.
Born in Hyderabad in 1909, Syed Abdul Rahim’s tryst with the game started when he represented the football team at Osmania University, but soon shifted the focus to coaching.
During his tenure, he was also the head coach of Hyderabad City Police, which became a force to reckon with in Indian club football and also shaped many young talents that went on to play for the national team.
Ajay Devgan will be seen playing the role of Syed Abdul Rahim in the flick that is set to release on October 15, 2021.
With his success in the domestic circuit, Rahim was appointed as the head coach of the Indian football team and he delivered the goods. It was under his stewardship that India claimed their first Gold medal in the 1951 Asian Games, which also marked the beginning of the ‘Golden Era’ of Indian football.
Carrying on his stellar work, Rahim led India to a historic semi-final appearance at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, which is considered one of the greatest achievements in Indian football.
Five years later, the Indian team defeated South Korea in the final of the 1962 Asian Games final to claim the Gold medal, which was unfortunately his last assignment. Undoubtedly, Syed Abdul Rahim is the greatest coach India ever had.
