Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 24, 2017)

When hitlist met Shraddha Kapoor in September, the actor had finished 34 classes of badminton as part of her prep for the Saina Nehwal biopic. “I try to go five times a week at 6 am in the morning, besides hitting the gym to attain the physicality of a badminton player,” she had said.

A month-and-a-half and several sessions under the tutelage of former badminton player Pullela Gopichand later, insiders suggest that Kapoor is struggling to pick the game.

The unit is staring at an empty schedule ahead as the film, which was slated to go on floors this month, cannot roll until the actor perfects her game to look convincing on screen. “Despite regular sessions, it has been a tough ride for Shraddha. With the amount of prep left for Shraddha, the project will start rolling only by the first quarter of next year,” revealed a source.

A leg injury that she recently sustained during one of her practice sessions has only made matters worse. “The sprain will require at least a week to heal.”

When contacted, director Amole Gupte refused to comment on the delay and said tersely, “I’ve been quite unwell since the past one week.”

Producer Bhushan Kumar remained unavailable for comment, but a production insider said, “There is no official deadline on the film. Amole wants to make a good movie and that’s our priority. Even if there’s a slight delay, we have their back.”