Before the first schedule of '83 in May, Ranveer Singh and cast to head to Mohali for 15-day coaching camp under Kapil Dev; state-level players likely to join
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 2, 2019)

With '83, Ranveer Singh has been entrusted the responsibility of recreating India’s victory at the 1983 Cricket World Cup for celluloid. Knowing that they cannot falter in reimagining one of the biggest milestones of Indian cricket, director Kabir Khan and Singh are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the cast is fully ready before the camera starts rolling in May. To familiarise them with the sport, the director has lined up a fortnight-long cricket camp in Mohali in April. While cricketers from the winning squad — Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, and Yashpal Sharma — will be part of the camp, several Ranji Trophy players too are expected to join in.

Co-producer Vishnu Induri says, “Besides interacting with the actors, Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Yashpal Sharma and other cricketers from the 1983 World Cup team will give their inputs and open up about their techniques. The actors will also get an opportunity to play with the present day cricket teams [state-level and Ranji Trophy players] from all over India so that they are well-versed with the sport.”

The co-producer adds that before the training camp in April, Khan has organised a meet-and-greet session for the cast in the last week of February. Considering the principal cast includes 11 actors — including South star Jiiva as Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Ammy Virk as Balvinder Singh Sandhu — that form the on-screen squad, the director thought it imperative that the boys bond with each other. “The idea is to get the boys to break the ice. This will happen at Film City.”