Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 5, 2019)

The meteoric rise of Satnam Singh Bhamara in the world of basketball serves as the perfect script for a sports drama. Little surprise then that Zee Studios has decided to produce a digital film based on the player, who created history in 2015 by becoming the first Indian to be selected in the NBA (National Basketball Association).

Singh, whose towering height was one of the reasons his father Balbir Singh introduced him to basketball, hopes that the film will boost the sport's popularity in India. "I am honoured that they will turn my story into a film. I hope that the film will encourage more kids to try their hand at basketball. There is huge potential for the game to grow here if more people come out in support of it."

Currently hard at work giving shape to the script of the Zee5 venture, the team of writers recently headed to Baloke — Singh's hometown and the place where it all started — with their muse. "I got a chance to reminisce the past 15 years of my life. I revisited people, places and incidents after over a decade. Going back to my school in Baloke was the trip's highlight," says the sports star, who played for St. John's Edge of the National Basketball League of Canada in the last season.

Hoping to take the project on floors soon, the makers will zero in on the principal cast and the director only after the script has been finalised. Ashima Avasthi, Head & VP, Zee Studios Originals, adds, "In our country where basketball has miles to go before it enjoys the same kind of popularity that cricket does, Satnam Singh's difficult yet heart-warming journey needs to be celebrated."