It’s biopic season, again! Bollywood is clearly still smitten by stories of real life winners – readymade stories culled from the real world are evidently half the battle won at the scripting table. Buzz now surrounds Kabir Khan’s cinematic adaptation of India’s first World Cup success, a good 35 years post-West Indies’ defeat. And bringing that iconic moment to the silver screen, will be Arjun Kapoor who is set to step into India’s captain Kapil Dev’s shoes for the film.
Word has it that a grand event is being planned to announce the film, which explores a landmark occasion in Indian cricketing history. The makers are even hoping to bring together on the occasion members of the Indian cricket who were responsible for that historic win.
In fact, the former secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, and manager of team India during the 1983 World Cup, PR Man Singh has already revealed that he will accompany the 14-member team to the Mumbai film launch event.
This Kabir Khan directorial is already tickling the fancy of a cricket-crazed country, and the stars are no exception. Rumours abound about its casting, even as an official announcement is yet to be made. While Ranveer Singh and Hrithik Roshan have been considered, it just might be Arjun Kapoor who pips them to the post. Post-Mubarakan, the actor has been on the lookout for a good role to sink his teeth into and what better than the part of Kapil Dev, captain and hero who brought the Cup home!
The film is touted to be titled World Cup 1983, and will be a joint venture produced by Phantom Films and Vishnu Vardhan Induri, founder and managing director of the Celebrity Cricket League. National Award-winning director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan has been tasked with writing the film, while Kabir Khan is poised to wield the director’s baton.
Kabir’s last outing at the box office, Tubelight, had elicited a lukewarm response, despite it coming on the heels of his super successful combination with Salman, Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
The magic of India’s legendary World Cup victory will be just the boost he needs!
