A new sports biopic is in the making in Bollywood and sources say that the film will be helmed by veteran director Shyam Benegal. After the success of biopics on sportspersons like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom, a film on the life of wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav - who won the first individual medal for India at the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland, where he bagged a Bronze -  is underway. Wrestler Sangram Singh acquired the rights to make the film on Jadhav earlier this year. He will be playing the lead role in the movie and the shooting will begin in November in the state.

Sangram has already started preparing for the role and has been in touch with Jadhav's family to learn the details of his life. “This is the first time that a real-life wrestler will be playing a wrestler in a Bollywood film.

Being a wrestler himself, Sangram understands the techniques of the game and the body language of a wrestler, but he has been working a lot on his body and speech. He has already lost around 6 kg in the last three months, and will be losing another 10 kg in the months to come. He is also being trained in acting by a teacher from the National School of Drama,“ says a source associated with the film.

Sangram has also been reading about Jadhav and how he trained himself to win an Olympic medal for India. Jadhav got his share of fame first at the 1948 London Olympics, when he finished sixth in the flyweight category. He then joined the police force as a sub-inspector in 1955.

“Despite 27 years of service, Jadhav had to struggle to get his pension. His entire life is an inspiring and motivating journey. But the idea of the film is not to just highlight his achievements as a wrestler, but to also focus on how he fought the odds to win laurels for his country,“ adds the source.