Casting discussions are intensifying for Vikramaditya Motwane’s upcoming biopic on former India captain Sourav Ganguly, with multiple roles still being finalized just weeks before the film goes on floors – an unusually tight timeline for a project of this scale. According to a source close to the production, Boman Irani is reportedly being considered to portray Ganguly’s father, Chandi Ganguly – though discussions are still ongoing. Casting for the role of Snehasish Ganguly – Sourav Ganguly’s elder brother and a former cricketer – remains under discussion, with no actor finalized so far. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in Kolkata from March 16.

Meanwhile, Gajraj Rao is being considered to play former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya. “Gajraj Rao delivered a remarkable performance in Maidaan (2024), and the production house is keen to bring him on board,” a source said, adding that the casting process is still underway.

Tollywood actress Aparajita Adhya is being considered for the role of Ganguly’s mother. Several other Bengali actors, including Abir Chatterjee, Rudranil Ghosh and Saswata Chatterjee, were considered for roles during the casting process, but factors such as look tests and date availability created hurdles, the source said. Casting for dancer and choreographer Dona Ganguly is yet to be finalized.

The biopic is expected to be shot across Kolkata, London and Mumbai over a 40-day schedule. Vikramaditya Motwane recently visited Kolkata with his team for a recce, including a visit to Eden Gardens, as pre-production gathers momentum ahead of the shoot schedule.

Rajkummar Rao, who will portray Sourav Ganguly in the biopic, is expected to undergo immersive preparation ahead of filming. Sources say he may spend time in Behala – the Kolkata neighbourhood where Ganguly grew up – and visit Eden Gardens, along with the coaching centre where he trained, to study the cricketer’s on- and off-field persona.

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Sourav Ganguly met Rajkummar Rao in Mumbai recently. Since everything in the film revolves around the cricketer, his consent is necessary at every step of the film’s production – A source close to production