As Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Soorma depicts hockey legend Sandeep Singh's unrequited first love, makers change character's name, at player's behest
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 2, 2018)

With Soorma, Diljit Dosanjh has brought the real-life journey of hockey legend Sandeep Singh to the big screen. From Singh being wheelchair-bound for two years after being hit by an accidental gunshot in August 2006, to him leading the Indian team to victory at the 2009 Sultan Azalan Shah Cup - the Shaad Ali-directed biopic stays true to the events that occurred in Singh's life.

The film also sheds light on his unrequited first love. Although the other actors in the film play real-life characters, Taapsee Pannu's part - Singh's first girlfriend - has apparently been rechristened, on his request.

Before he met his now-wife Harjinder Kaur, Singh was said to be in love with a Punjabi girl, who also shared his ardent love for the sport. While the makers have depicted the love story, they have changed the girl's name to Harpreet, in a bid to protect the woman's identity. A source says, "The trailer shows that Taapsee's character, Harpreet dumps Sandeep after learning of his paralysis. This is a lesser-known chapter of Sandeep's life. After that, Sandeep's family friend Harjinder walked into his life, and the two fell in love. She stood by him like a rock through the ordeal, till he fully recovered and was back on the field. The duo got engaged two years later at Sandeep's hometown Shahabad and got married in 2008."

A source from Soorma's creative team says, "The makers have changed a few details of Taapsee's character, including her name. They had to keep the woman's identity under wraps as she's married to someone else. She encouraged Sandeep to take up hockey seriously. Since Soorma is inspired by a real story, the makers have tried to keep the script as authentic as possible, with just a few tweaks."