Director Amole Gupte rubbishes rumours that the Saina Nehwal biopic has been delayed; says has confidence in Shraddha
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 31, 2018)

Last week, Shraddha Kapoor put out a tweet revealing that Amole Gupte’s Saina Nehwal biopic has been delayed, sparking off speculation that the film has been shelved. The director admits to being irked by the incessant rumours around his next and informs that he has been busy prepping for the shoot and is determined to not give up on his prized project.

“We start shooting in September. In December, Shraddha had travelled to Hyderabad to train at Saina’s mentor Pullela Gopichand’s badminton academy and continued with her training in Mumbai. I’ve been working on this film for over two years and it’s important to me. I’m looking forward to September,” Amole told Mirror.

The director hopes to kick-start the biopic in Saina’s hometown of Hyderabad with Shraddha’s first look. “That’s the plan for now. But it also depends on my actors’ dates. We will be shooting in studios and real locations, including several stadiums as we are chronicling Saina’s life story as authenticaly as possible,” says Amole.

While there have been murmurs that the film’s delay is because Shraddha is struggling with her badminton prep, Amole insists that he has complete confidence in his leading lady. “We aren’t paying heed to what people say. Shraddha, especially her facial structure, has a striking resemblance to Saina’s,” he points out, admitting that it is a really big project for him. “All my life, I’ve remained silent in the face of detractors and adversities. The best thing to do is to do your job well.”

Shraddha had lavished praise on her director while speaking to Mirror earlier (September 2, 2017), “Amole treats me like a child and showers me with affection and I love it. He’s empathetic and is always looking out for me. That means a lot. Also, he’s an amazing director. His Stanley Ka Dabba is an all-time favourite. If he says he’s happy with me, my day is made.”