Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 21, 2019)

Life has come a full circle for Saqib Saleem. The cricket-crazy Sachin Tendulkar fan, who has played state-level cricket, is portraying India’s 83 World Cup dream-weaver Mohinder Amarnath’s character in the film, ‘83.

Talking about how everything ‘played out’, Saqib says, “So, ‘83 was announced with Ranveer Singh essaying Kapil Dev. One day, I just started wondering, ‘Who will play the then vice-captain, Mohinder Amarnath?’ My dad used to be a huge fan of Jimmy Amarnath. I spoke to my agency and they informed me that the makers were still looking for an actor to play his part. So, I reached out to Kabir (Khan, director) and requested him for a meeting. Over coffee, he asked me if I had ever played cricket. I didn’t want to oversell myself, so I told him, ‘Yes, a little’. The next day, they called me for cricket practice. That was the moment of truth for me. I met Balvinder Singh Sandhu, who was also a part of the ’83 World Cup team, and is a coach and consultant on the film. He asked me the same question, ‘Cricket khela hai tune?’ and I repeated myself, ‘Yes, a little.’ After that, his assistant coach bowled to me and I hit the ball all over the ground.”

Saqib says it’s destiny that he, who once lived and breathed cricket, got to play one of the architects of India’s biggest cricket glory. This is the same boy, who once suffered from an anxiety attack and had to be hospitalised, when his hero Tendulkar was dismissed early in the game. No doubt, playing Jimmy Amarnath brought back those emotions and the film’s shoot turned out to be an extremely evocative experience for him.

He shares, “It was surreal that all my life, I had wanted to become a cricketer and my wildest dreams came true in the most unexpected ways. I played cricket for my country, won the World Cup and was declared the man of the match, albeit for a scene. Imagine, we are standing on the balcony at the Lord’s, where no other film has ever been shot. And guess what Kabir said? ‘Guys, I forgot to tell you, we are shooting with the actual trophy that we won in 1983’. Then we saw three security guards and a woman walking in with the trophy, and we started crying. I was crying and so were Ranveer and Hardy (Sandhu, who plays Madan Lal). You see, for cricket lovers, ’83 transformed the way the world looked at India.”

Saqib, who grew up watching his father fanboy over Mohinder Jimmy Amarnath, even got to train with the cricketing legend to prepare for his role. Interestingly though, ’83 was not the first time Saqib met him. They first met during the making of Dishoom (2016), in which they shared screen space. Even though he thoroughly enjoyed the ace batsman’s stories about the victory of ’83 at that time, he probably couldn’t have imagined that he would soon be ‘re-living’ those stories himself. 

Ahead of shoot, '83 director plans to rope in west indies world cup players sir Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes for interaction with Ranveer & Co
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 23, 2019)

Ranveer Singh and his on-screen cricket squad are only a fortnight away from kicking off the shoot of '83 in London. While the boys underwent a 10-day training camp in Dharamshala under the supervision of Kapil Dev and other cricketing legends who brought home the World Cup trophy in 1983, it appears that their training in the sport is far from over. Director Kabir Khan is in the process of arranging an interaction between the actors and the 1983 West Indies team, including Sir Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

Ammy Virk, who steps into the shoes of Balvinder Singh Sandhu for the sports drama, tells mid- day, "The cast and crew are flying down to London on May 27. We have a 10-day practice session in the British capital. The makers are trying to get Gordon Greenidge, Michael Holding, Viv Richards, Andy Roberts and Desmond Haynes to attend these sessions. [The idea is to get first-hand accounts] of their techniques and their mindspace during the final match. The makers are also hoping that they will be available for a few days during the shoot." The practice sessions will also see the boys — including Saqib Saleem, Sahil Khattar and Jiiva, among others — hit the pitch with actors who will slip into the roles of players from competing nations.

"Our director has chosen actors from all over the world and they will essay the roles of cricketing legends like Malcolm Marshall, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga and many more. Balvinder sir has already held a few sessions with them, but now we will face them on the field," says Amy Virk.

Ammy Virk on Kabir Khan’s next and playing a fighter pilot in an upcoming Ajay Devgn film
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 15, 2019)

After Diljit Dosanjh, Jassie Gill and Gippy Grewal, another Punjabi singeractor is gearing up for his Bollywood debut. In Kabir Khan’s Ranveer Singhstarrer ’83, 27-year-old Ammy Virk essays former cricketer Balvinder Sandhu to the leading man’s Kapil Dev.

By his own admission, it was his spirited turn as an aspiring hockey player in the Punjabi film Harjeeta, which released last year, that secured him a place in Kabir’s onscreen team that revisits India’s first cricket World Cup win in 1983. “Kabir sir asked me to audition and checked my cricketing skills, particularly the bowling action (Balvinder was a fast bowler who famously clean-bowled West Indies batsman Gordon Greenidge with a huge in-swinger during the finals). Soon after, I got a call that I had bagged the role,” Ammy says.

Fast forward to a few months later, and the actor has attended several workshops under the supervision of Sandhu—who has been roped in to coach the actor-players—and will start filming for his portions in the first week of June. “The team trained in Mumbai and Dharamshala and the original players attended the sessions to share tips and insights. It proved to be very helpful to us. It was more of a bonding exercise. The team is made up of actors from different film industries and it felt like the entire country had come together for this film,” the actor smiles.

He is also all praise for Ranveer and says, “I still remember how down-to-earth and positive he was during our first interaction. He is energetic and one of the kindest persons I have met.”

After ’83, Ammy will be seen in another multi-starrer, Bhuj - The Pride of India, which is led by Ajay Devgn and features Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Parineeti Chopra and Rana Daggubati. “I am happy to represent India in both films. Bhuj has a strong ensemble and I play a Sikh fighter pilot in it. There will be a lot of workshops before I start shooting. It is a new space for me,” he adds.

Like his predecessors, Ammy started off as a singer in early 2013 and forayed into films in 2015 with the Punjabi film Angrej. He believes that this transition comes naturally to all singers in North India. “After you have built a fanbase, people call you to promote their films. Often, it leads to acting offers. After that, it’ just a matter of your film working,” he explains.

So, is it goodbye to home-ground, now that he is finding feet in Bollywood? “I can’t leave Punjabi films and will make it a point to act in at least one film a year there,” he signs off. 

Cricket coach Balvinder Singh Sandhu and team on the physical prep that the cast of Ranveer Singh's sports film is undergoing
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; May 1, 2019)

In the midst of a merciful break that had punctuated their practice session, cast members of Kabir Khan's '83 were summoned by coach Balvinder Singh Sandhu to witness what a ball, hurled at 90 miles per hour, looked like. "I set the bowling machine at the speed and got them to see what that pace looked like. Watching the balls being shot like bullets, they were taken aback. Those were the balls that we [1983 cricket team] faced. They realised the [importance] of portraying people who played to that pace, and were then further determined to up their [act]," says the former cricketer, who has been mentoring the cast for eight months.


Whipping Singh into shape
Then fresh off the shoot of his cop drama, Simmba, leading man Ranveer Singh was way too muscular and heavy to play the quick-footed Kapil Dev. At about 12 kilos more than desired, he had to shed the extra weight, up his lean muscle mass and stamina, and simultaneously participate in sports-specific training that cricket demanded. "When a bowler jumps and lands, there's a back-foot and front-foot impact. To bowl like Kapil, he needed strong legs. We started working on his glute muscles, along with isolated leg-strengthening exercises," says Sandhu (top; left), as fitness trainer Rajiv Mehra (top; right) adds that glute strength plays a vital role in preventing injuries. "When the glutes fire during bowling, the muscles around the hips and knees don't take the load. This helps us keep them injury-free," he says.

Coupling their goal of achieving weight loss and enhancing his bowling skills, the duo says a major chunk of his cardiovascular activity was achieved when training on the field. "The groundwork includes a lot of running. We'd begin with a structured warm-up, focusing on technique, and hip, ankle and shoulder mobility exercises. There would be different drills incorporated to suit a cricketer. These included 20 to 30 metre striding, lateral shuffles, step overruns, and also replicating catches. Executing them while paying attention to technique was also challenging. The more Ranveer bowled, the more his muscle-memory developed. On a bad day, he'd bowl 70 to 80 balls. On a good day, it was 150." Given Singh's affection for swimming, a sport least likely to cause injuries, the actor was also put on a regimen accordingly.



Addressing troubled spots
Strength endurance training that includes executing lesser reps of lighter weights helped the team achieve a two-fold effect - It helped Singh reduce the bulk he had acquired for Simmba, and also become agile and faster. "His upper body had to be strengthened to protect the load being put on it. He had tight lat muscles, which needed to be addressed. We began working on his rotator cuff muscles to improve the strength he'd require to bowl. He has been training regularly over the past four weeks. As his fitness level is improving, it is reflecting in his ability to execute the required bowling action," Sandhu says.

Making him Kapil Dev
With years of experience in training professional athletes, Sandhu and Mehra knew that the task at hand with the cast of '83 was different. Here, their performance on the field didn't matter as much as their ability to ape the players. "Ranveer has a 45-minute bowling component incorporated into his routine and must copy Kapil. We'd take his video from two angles and show him how his hands were moving. We had to then draw parallels with Kapil's movements, and make adjustments accordingly. When he first came, he struggled to bowl. He's not a fast bowler, and we had to make him one of the greatest fast-bowlers we've had. When I saw him bowl for the first time, I said it would be tough." But Singh's drive for perfection has almost become synonymous with the man himself. "When he comes in, others up their [game]. He's full of energy and makes us work harder. If I would have rated him three on 10 at the start, I'd say he's up to an eight now. I knew batting wouldn't be a concern when he played his first pull shot. But, like with all players, we worked on making him mimic the original cricketer."

Building a team
A recently concluded 10-day Dharamshala session was conducted to enable the assorted actors to work together as a team. "Cricketers including Kapil, Madan Lal, Mohinder Amarnath, and Yashpal Sharma came and shared their experiences. That trip made the 14 players a team. They were keen to practice in the world's most beautiful stadium. During the bus rides, Ranveer would start singing, while others would join in. We had many beautiful singers. Then there would be some stand-up comedy [acts]. We achieved more than expected," Sandhu says.

Keeping niggles at bay
Physiotherapist Vaibhav Patil's (right) job began way before the actors complained of injuries. "Our aim was to prevent injuries. These actors had to mimic legends whose actions were unique. There's a lot of change that their bodies had to undergo. Apart from matching the cricketer's size, they had to ace movements that may be at odds with their own natural movement." To keep injuries at bay, Patil began with a screening session that enabled his team to identify each actor's physical follies. "If you know someone has a weak hamstring before the prep, it means that they would be prone to hamstring injuries later. So, from the onset, we'd train that muscle. Ranveer has a shoulder injury from Padmaavat. In the past, he has had surgery, and a labral tear. So we had to address his needs accordingly with the use of thera-bands and form rolling. Whether or not any actor encountered pain, he had to follow a therapy plan that was catered to his individual needs."

Therapy sessions also facilitated specific action. "For instance, Ballu sir would highlight a particular action that he needed of Ranveer that was not emerging. So, I'd design workouts to make that easier for him."

Newest addition to 83 cast, Nishant Dahiya on working with Ranveer Singh, and aping the tough mannerisms of Roger Binny
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; April 27, 2019)

In a previous interview with this reporter, Balvinder Singh Sandhu had heaped praise on Nishant Dahiya - the newest addition to Ranveer Singh's world cup drama, '83 - alluding that among a lot of actors who couldn't replicate the mannerisms of Roger Binny, Dahiya was a saviour.

"He did it in 15 days. I was so proud of him," Sandhu had said. As far as Dahiya is concerned, he knew the ace cricketer, currently coaching the actors for Kabir Khan's film, was impressed from the word go. "I bowled the first ball, and Ballu sir said, 'Great, you're on board'," he recalls. But, mimicking fast bowler Binny, he realised after hopping aboard the project, was no mean feat.

"I had seen his interviews, but had never seen him bowl. When I watched his clips, I knew learning this would take time. His is an odd action; one that, perhaps, came naturally to him only. When a bowler lands, his back-foot lands at 90 degrees. In Roger sir's case, it lands in the opposite direction to where you face. It was Kapil sir [Dev] who told me that his manner was different because he was a javelin thrower when he was a kid. So, his postures was different." Yet, there were umpteen factors that the former junior national-level cricket player believes, made him earn brownie points before Sandhu. "Like Roger sir, I was a fast bowler, and a swing bowler. I think he liked my pace and rhythm. He knew it was something we could work on if I had to play this character."

Among a group of artistes who have a background in cricket, leading man Ranveer Singh is perhaps the only cast member who had not played the sport, actively. Yet, Dahiya isn't willing to buy his naivety. "By the time I met him, I was bowled over by his bowling. I could see Kapil sir was impressed too. I told him he was killing it. Ranveer is as much a motivator as he is an entertainer for the team. I think he's surpassed himself."

With their five-day week practice sessions being whittled down to three days, Dahiya says the cast members are now focusing on understanding the nuances of their individual characters. A recently-concluded bonding session in Dharamshala has enabled them to emerge as a team from an assorted bunch of actors. "We met seniors like Kapil, Mohinder Amarnath, Yashpal Sharma, Madan Lal. We got to ask them questions, and many stories emerged from those conversations; funny ones too. As an actor, one picks up these instances [to understand] the relationship they shared, based on their jokes and conversations. You learn how complicated they were, or their pairing. So, after practice [the actors would] head to a tea stall and discuss these events. We'd play with our characters, and call each other by the roles we were playing. Today, that's how we address one another. The camp helped us a lot."

Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; April 11, 2019)

Over the past 10 days, Ranveer Singh and his on-screen squad have been training in cricket, in Dharamshala, as part of prep for the Madhu Mantena-produced '83. With their training camp winding to a close, the actors shared their first look as the men in white, yesterday.

Director Kabir Khan, who has shouldered the responsibility of the retelling of India's victory at the 1983 World Cup, says he was humbled that the cricket legends joined them in Dharamshala. Speaking of the film that will hit screens exactly a year later, he says, "The high point was that the heroes of the '83 team came in to train the guys, including Kapil sir [Dev], Madan Lal, Balvinder Singh Sandhu, Yashpal Sharma and Jimmy [Mohinder Amarnath]. It's rare for actors to be trained by the people they are playing."

The cricketing legend joins Ranveer Singh’s ‘83 squad in Dharamshala
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 6, 2019)

The team of Kabir Khan’s sports drama, ‘83, has landed in Dharamshala for the last leg of training for the film, before they kick-start the shoot in London, on May 15. The film is based on India’s first cricket World Cup victory, in 1983.

The actors, including Ranveer Singh (who plays captain Kapil Dev), will attend a 10-day cricket boot camp at the Kangra stadium. Cricketers of the World Cup-winning team, like Kapil Dev, Balvinder Singh Sandhu, Madan Lal and Jimmy Amarnath, are training the cast in cricketing techniques. That’s not all. Former fast bowler Balvinder Singh Sandhu is the fitness coach for the on-screen team, along with former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer Rajiv Mehra, who has stepped in as their trainer.

BT has some exclusive photographs from the boot camp, which shows Ranveer Singh in deep conversation with Kapil Dev. The actor is spending as much time as possible with the cricketing legend and will be trained to pick up the latter’s mannerisms and his trademark outswinger.

Talking about the picture of the two together, Kabir Khan, the film’s director, tells us, “In the photograph, one can see Kapil sir enlightening Ranveer on how to read a pitch. He told him about the different kinds of pitches and how the decision of whether to ball or bat first depends on it. It was a free-wheeling conversation between Kapil sir and Ranveer on every aspect of the game, including what happened on and off the field in 1983. He told Ranveer about his mannerisms on the field, how he would approach his run-up and go in to bat, and his characteristic movements. They covered many subjects pertaining to the game and the conversation went on for a couple of hours.”

Kabir feels Ranveer’s fighting spirit makes him a perfect fit for the part of Kapil Dev. He says, “Physical resemblance between the two is something that I have to create as a filmmaker. That’s my department. But the similarity I see between the two is their fighting spirit. Both of them are fighters and go against odds to achieve the impossible. You can see that spirit in Kapil sir even after 36 years of winning the World Cup. Ranveer, as we all know, is someone who has gone against the odds and achieved all the great success that he has.”

However, Kabir agrees that Ranveer’s quest to nail Kapil Dev’s role does come with its share of challenges. The biggest challenge is portraying a living legend, whose mannerisms, quirks and steps are so deeply entrenched in the minds of the Indian audience. “People know Kapil Dev so well that they will always be looking out for his mannerisms, style and attitude in the actor who portrays him. That is what Ranveer has to capture,” he adds.

The Dharamshala boot camp has all the players living and travelling together just like the Indian cricket team does. Kabir sums up their schedule as getting up early morning, going to the stadium, training, and coming back for lunch. Later, they take some time off or go on with reading sessions before returning to the stadium for an evening training schedule. “It’s basically making them live like the team lived in 1983 and feel like a cohesive unit. Of course, we are really grateful that players from the ’83 squad have come in and are training us. It’s going to be a fruitful boot camp, in terms of being able to achieve all the on-ground skills,” the filmmaker signs off.

Kabir Khan’s cricket team arrives in Dharamshala for the last leg of their training before the sports drama kicks off on May 15 in London with a 100-day schedule
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 3, 2019)

After their stint in Mumbai, Kabir Khan and his boys, led by ‘captain’ Ranveer Singh, arrived in Dharamshala on Tuesday to continue with their cricket training and bonding session in the picturesque setting. They will begin shooting from May 15 in London and Scotland in a 100-day schedule.

“It’s a cricket boot camp at the beautiful Kangra stadium up in the mountains. We will live together and train like a cricket team for the next 10 days. Many of the players from the original squad will also be here to train the actors,” Kabir told Mirror from Himachal.

A source from the team adds that while former fast bowler Balvinder Singh Sandhu is the coach of the onscreen team, fitness coach and former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer Rajiv Mehra has also joined as trainer. Ranveer will be spending time with Kapil Dev whose role he essays in the sports drama before the film goes to Lords. “Besides Kapil paaji’s distinctive mannerisms, Ranveer also wants to perfect his trademark outswinger before shoot kicks off. His training is a combination of cricketing skills and training with physical conditioning,” informs a source close to the development of the Madhu Mantena, Vishnu Induri and Kabir Khan production.

Sandhu had recently told Mirror (March 25) that Ranveer has been putting in extra effort to get into character, practising his cricketing shots for two hours every day. The team had been training every morning from 7 am to 10 am in Mumbai.

’83 is based on India’s 1983 cricket World Cup victory with Pankaj Tripathi as PR Man Singh, the team’s manager. Other actors in the film include Saqib Saleem, Chirag Patil, Harrdy Sandhu, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Adinath Kothare. 

Balvinder Singh Sandhu, member of India’s 1983 winning cricket team, is coaching Kabir Khan’s players
Natasha Countinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 15, 2019)

Kabir Khan’s sports drama, 83, based on India’s World Cup cricket win, flags off in mid-May with Ranveer Singh stepping into the shoes of then skipper, all-rounder Kapil Dev. Veteran cricketer Balvinder Singh Sandhu, who was part of the winning team, has been training Ranveer and his onscreen teammates over the last few months, and is all praise for the actor. “Ranveer is a cricket crazy guy, with a good batting technique evident on the first day itself. His bowling was a little rusty, but after three-four days he was running well and executing the action required,” the former fast bowler raves. “We are working on improving his technique to make him look like Kapil Dev and not Ranveer Singh.”

Prod him on the prep and he informs that they practise two cricketing shots every day. “Ranveer was supposed to train for an hour a day, but high on energy and keen to learn, he stays back for two-and-half-hours. He has been busy the past few days, but will resume training in the coming week,” he informs.

They begin shooting around May 15 in London and Scotland. It’s a 100-day schedule, and towards March-end they will have a 10-day bonding and training session in Dharamshala. They will also train in Mumbai for a week. “I treat all the actors like actual cricketers and follow the same techniques that I do at the National Cricket Academy,” says the coach who is currently in Patiala training Ammy Virk who plays him on screen.

Virk says he’s 95 per cent ready and trying hard to get his cricket right to make his Sandhu believable. “I’m looking forward to getting to know Ranveer better during the training sessions. Since we will all be living together for three-four months, it’s important to know each other. Sandhu sir will be on the sets all the time which will make my work easier,” he says with relief.

Sandhu himself is also happy with the progress of the other actors. Jiiva who plays Krishnamachari Srikanth, has his manager, a cricketer himself, helping him with his technique while Chirag Patil who plays his cricketer-father Sandeep Patil, has been hitting the ball well. “Kabir Khan is the actual captain of this team, friendly, open to suggestions and very patient,” he smiles.

Flashbacking to the memorable final in ’83 when India took on West Indies at Lord’s, Sandhu says getting the first wicket of Gordon Greenidge was the big high. “That gave us hope that we could win the Cup.” 

Chirag Patil steps into cricketer-dad Sandeep Patil’s shoes in Kabir Khan’s sports drama which recreates India’s 1983 World Cup win
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 4, 2019)

Sandeep Patil was a part of India’s World Cup-winning team in 1983 as a middle-order batsman. Thirty-six years later, his son Chirag will play his dad onscreen in Kabir Khan’s sports drama, ’83 and recreate cricketing history. Chirag, who has played roles in 11 Marathi and Hindi films, can’t wait to set the field under Ranveer Singh who is stepping into captain Kapil Dev’s shoes. “I’m really excited, the ’83 World Cup win is considered a milestone in Indian history and to be a part of that team is a dream come true and playing my father, who’s my hero, is just awesome. I don’t think any actor has ever played his own father before. I’m the first,” he beams, adding that since she heard of the film, it’s been his mother Deepa’s dream that he play his father. “Luckily, I landed the part.”

Patil Junior who has never played cricket professionally, admits he was a little nervous initially but once he started practising, his father’s stance and the way he played his shots, came naturally to him. “Ballu uncle (Balvinder Sandhu) and his team have been training us since August. I also took some training sessions at Chandrakant Pandit’s Cricket Academy (CPCC) in my free time. The best cricket coach in India stays in my house and that’s a big help. Right now the focus is to train well and get my father’s style right.” And after that? “Sachin Tendulkar had once told me, ‘Give your best and leave the rest to God.’ I follow that philosophy,” he smiles.

His father reveals that since his birth 31 years ago, he’s told his son many stories. “And every time we would talk about the World Cup victory, Chirag’s eyes would light up. From the first match to the finals and the after-party, I’ve shared so many memories with him,” he informs.

Sandeep played the World Cup with broken ribs. In the finals against West Indies, only three sixes were hit by India, one of them by him. He scored 27 from 29 balls in India’s score of 183. The Windies were bowled out for 140. Soon after, Vijay Singh offered him the male lead in a Hindi film, Kabhie Ajnabi The, opposite Poonam Dhillon and Debashree Roy. India’s wicketkeeper, Syed Kirmani, played the antagonist. Shooting began in 1983 and the film released two years later to sky-high expectations thanks to a fight sequence between Sandeep and Kirmani and the hit song, “Geet Mere Hothon Ko Dey Gaya Koi” but it eventually bombed. He hasn’t been seen on screen since but he has some tips for his actor son. “Getting a chance and getting a stage to perform is a big deal, not everyone gets the opportunity and that too with a director like Kabir Khan and producer Madhu Mantena. Now, the ball is in Chirag’s court and I wish him all the best. I won’t visit him on the set but I have shown him how to match my signature shots.”

Chirag rues the fact that he never saw his dad play as he had retired before he was born. “But I’ve heard stories about his batting, his personality and his life. He was a legend!” he asserts, pointing out that at the time there was no social media or PR. “Yet even today, wherever he goes, in India or abroad, people chase him for a selfie. He’s a superstar and one can only imagine his onfield hammering for people to remember it 36 years later.”

Quiz him on his bonding with the film’s team and Chirag exults, “Ranveer is a beautiful human being and I’m very excited to be working with him. I have a lot to learn from his hard work, humility, energy and dedication. He is the first on the field and the last to leave. There are several talented actors in the cast and it will be a blast shooting with them and Kabir who makes every actor so comfortable. It will be fun lifting the World Cup for the country again.” 

Punjabi actor Ammy Virk plays the bowler in Kabir Khan’s upcoming sports drama with Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 23, 2019)

Kabir Khan’s ’83, with Ranveer Singh playing Kapil Dev, inspired by Team India’s first World Cup win, has locked another cast member. Ammy Virk who played the lead in popular Punjabi films like Bambukat and Qismat, will make his Bollywood debut with this sports drama. Ammy will reprise the role of fast bowler Balvinder Singh Sandhu who delivered the most memorable ball in the final match, castling West Indian Gordon Greenidge with a devastating in-swinger.

Interestingly, Sandhu is also coaching Ranveer and the actor recently shared a picture with his coach from a practice session. One of the producers, Madhu Mantena, is delighted to have Ammy on board. “We are in the process of casting and will rope in actors from film industries across India in the true spirit of the film.” The film will be shot in four months, from May to August.