Taapsee Pannu will play the role of cricketer Mithali Raj in her upcoming film Shabaash Mithu. The film is being directed by Rahul Dholakia of Raees fame.
Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu will play cricketer Mithali Raj in her upcoming film Shabaash Mithu. Mithali is currently the Indian women’s team ODI captain.
On the cricketer’s birthday, Taapsee took to Twitter to make the official announcement as she wrote, “Happy Birthday Captain @M_Raj03 On this Birthday, I don’t know what gift I can give you but this promise that I shall give it all I have to make sure you will be proud of what you see of yourself on screen with #ShabaashMithu P.S- I’m all prepared to learn THE ‘cover drive’”
Shabaash Mithu will be directed by Rahul Dholakia, who has helmed films like Raees and Parzania.
Taapsee Pannu said in a statement, “It’s truly an honour to play the role of India’s most successful captain where Women’s Cricket is concerned. Even though I have already started feeling the pressure of stepping in her shoes, I don’t think I want to trade this place with anyone else right now. She has always been brave and strong to back truth and her idols, and that is the connect I feel with her.”
Happy Birthday Captain @M_Raj03 On this Birthday, I don’t know what gift I can give you but this promise that I shall give it all I have to make sure you will be proud of what you see of yourself on screen with #ShabaashMithu
P.S- I’m all prepared to learn THE ‘cover drive’ pic.twitter.com/a8Ha6BMoFs— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) 3 December 2019
“The way she changed the way women’s cricket is perceived and seen in India is truly a story worth telling. Kudos to Viacom18 Studios for choosing to tell this story. I look forward to working with Rahul Dholakia for this first of its kind story and to learn yet another sport which is treated as a religion in our country, cricket,” Pannu added.
It was earlier speculated that Taapsee Pannu will be playing the lead role in Mithali Raj’s biopic. The actor had then shot down the rumours, but now it looks like the makers were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to announce the project.
Mithali Raj said, “I have always stood for and voiced my opinion for equal opportunity for women not just in cricket but across all fields. I want to thank Ajit Andhare and Viacom18 Studios for not just bringing alive my story on screen but also for giving me a bigger platform to be able to reach out to young women who dare to dream.”
In 2019, Taapsee Pannu has already appeared in Badla, Game Over, Mission Mangal and Saand Ki Aankh. Her upcoming movies include Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad, Akarsh Khurana’s Rashmi Rocket and a supernatural thriller with Anurag Kashyap.