Harshada Rege (DNA; March 24, 2018)

Priti Sinha, who backed out of Super 30 after a fallout with Madhu Mantena last year, has now moved on to her next project. The film, tentatively titled Baloo, will chronicle the life of cricketer Baloo Palwankar, who was the first Dalit to play for India in the early 1900s. It will be produced by Priti and her father Vinay Sinha along with Tigmanshu Dhulia.

Currently, the project is being scripted by Varun Grover and Tigmanshu. The latter will also direct the biopic. Priti says, “The script is nearly done. In a month, we will have our first draft in hand. Once we have that, we will begin the casting process because that’s when we start with our narration sessions,” she says. The team is yet to decide whether they will rope in a new face or an established actor as the protagonist. “We will have a meeting to decide whom we want to choose. It’s a large project with many characters. So, it might take us long to pick an actor,” says Priti.

WHO WAS BALOO PALWANKAR?
Baloo Palwankar, who belonged to the lower caste, bowled left-arm orthodox spin with great accuracy. His first job was to tend to the pitch for a gymkhana in Pune. He was approached by players to help them practise in the nets. Baloo perfected his bowling and finally made his way to the team. Though he was one of the finest cricketers of his time, he wasn’t allowed to lead the team because of his caste. However, his presence in the field had a huge impact on the game in India.