Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 27, 2019)

Sonakshi Sinha is quite excited these days. She will soon join the cast of Bhuj: The Pride Of India, in which she plays a real-life character, Sunderben Jetha Madharparya. The war drama, also featuring Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Parineeti Chopra, Rana Daggubati and Ammy Virk, went on floors earlier this week in Hyderabad.

The film revolves around the Indo-Pak war of 1971, in which squadron leader Vijay Karnik of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and his team, with the help of 300 local women, reconstructed the IAF airbase. Sonakshi plays Sunderben, a social worker, who brought together 300 women from Madhapur to help build the runway.

Talking about the part, Sonakshi told BT, “It’s almost like doing a biopic, because my character is crucial to the story. Sunderben had convinced 300 women to help build the runway during the war in just 72 hours. I’m yet to start shooting for the film, but I have been reading and researching about Sunderben for a while now. Her story has been blended very well into the rest of the plot.”

Meanwhile, speculations have also been making the rounds that Sonakshi is the front-runner to play para-Olympian Deepa Malik in her biopic. Hearsay is that she is in talks with Farhan Akhtar and his team that will back the film. While talking to BT recently, she brushed the conjectures aside, saying, “It’s speculation till it’s announced by the makers of the film. I never speak about a project until I sign on the dotted line. So, if and when that happens, I will announce it from rooftops.” 

Ritesh Sidhwani on the franchises he wants to spearhead, what binds Farhan Akhtar and him together and that one genre he wants to explore
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 11, 2019)

Was Gully Boy a gamble?
Since our first film, Dil Chahta Hai, I’ve never advertised box-office collections. It’s not about how much a film has earned but about whether the viewer believes it was money well spent, about how many have seen and liked it. Gully Boy brought rap into the mainstream and that makes me feel I’m on the right track.

Buzz is, your MC Sher, Siddhant Chaturvedi, is your talent management agency’s first client?
It’s not a talent management agency, we are nurturing actors with potential and Siddhant is a versatile artiste with great screen presence. We’re helping him focus on his strength. He’s clear he wants to only play protagonist and we’re developing a script with him as lead. He’s getting many offers independently as well.

What’s happening with Don 3?
We are still working on it and don’t know when it will happen. It’s a keenly awaited franchise and we can’t disappoint the fans.

Any plans to produce an out-and-out massy entertainer?
We have catered to the masses in the past with films like Don, Raees and KGF. And while everyone is waking up to the power of content now, we have always believed that without a writer, nobody in this industry would have a job. We believe Spiderman exists and that’s primarily because of the writer. We are here to tell stories, collaborate with writers with a similar vision. I want to do one kickass underworld action film. The hunt for a script is on. There was Raees, but what I am looking for belongs to a different world.

And the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sequel?
Hrithik and I have been talking to Zoya (Akhtar, director) and Reema (Kagti, writer) about this as everyone wants to know what happens to the friends (played by Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol) after that life-changing trip. But, I can’t force my team to write it, the germ of an idea has to come organically. We’d, however, love to work with Hrithik again and are looking at scripts to take to him. We may soon have one.

Meanwhile, Farhan teams up with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra for a film on a boxer. What can we expect from Toofan?
It’s too early to talk about the script, but I can promise that Toofan will be at par with, if not better than, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Both Mehra and Farhan know the expectations they have to live up to and are working towards surpassing them. It’s a bigger film in terms of reach. We start shooting in July-August.

There’s Deepa Malik’s biopic…
That’s an incredible story about struggle and triumph. We will soon start on the casting.

Last year, you announced a film on fire-fighters, to be directed by Rahul Dholakia...
We’re working on the dialogue draft. Rahul was in LA for research as there aren’t many films in this space here. It’s a two-hero fictional story and we are in talks with some actors.

Gold underperformed and Rock On 2 was a disaster…
(Cuts in) But no one lost money on Gold nor was it panned by the critics. A certain segment didn’t watch the film in the theatres but it got good ratings on TV. People didn’t connect with the story of Rock On 2. It released around demonetisation when footfalls at cinemas were nil, but again, the TV feedback was good. We will be mindful and approach films better. Rock On!! remains an iconic film and if we come up with something that warrants a sequel we will go ahead.

Over the years, so many partnerships have fallen apart, what has kept Farhan and you together for almost two decades?
We have similar sensibilities and since we see this partnership as a collaboration, we chat about every aspect of filmmaking. We may not agree on certain things but we haven’t blamed each other for any failures. Sail or sink, filmmaking for us is all about ‘we’ and not ‘I’. 

Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 19, 2019)

Ever since the 2013 Farhan Akhtar-starrer Bhaag Milkha Bhaag made all the right noises at the box-office, Bollywood has been playing the field with sports-dramas, from Mary Kom and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story to Dangal and Gold to name a few. Over the years, this has become a sought-out genre for filmmakers and the number of films in the pipeline speaks volumes for its impressive strike rate. A look:


Hitting bullseye

Director: Tushar Hiranandani

Tushar’s directorial debut narrates the story of the world’s oldest sharpshooters, 87-year-old Chandro and her sister-inlaw, Prakashi Tomar, 82, with Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar playing them. The duo from Uttar Pradesh, also known as ‘Revolver Dadis’, started out in their mid-50s, and have since won over 100 medals in the veteran category across championships in the North zone and at the pre-nationals. With the film Saand Ki Aankh’s team shooting around their houses, the two ladies have been a regular fixture on set.


Panga with Kangana

Director: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari

Kangana Ranaut will soon be seen as a national-level kabbadi player in Panga, which is helmed by Bareilly Ki Barfi fame Ashwini Iyer Tiwari. The film, a fictional tale, follows the story of a family that challenges stereotypes and dares to dream and features Punjabi singer Jassie Gill as Kangana’s husband. Shooting of this Fox Star production kicked off last year. The team is aiming to hit theatres by the year-end.


World champs of  '83

Director: Kabir Khan

Kabir’s first shot at a sports-drama highlights one of the most historic sporting achievements of India. In 1983, the year from which the film borrows its title, the Indian team pulled off an incredible win against the then-defending champions, the West Indies, at Lord’s to lift the World Cup. Ranveer Singh as Captain Kapil Dev leads an ensemble cast, including Jeeva (Krishnamachari Srikanth), Saqib Saleem (Mohinder Amarnath), Harrdy Sandhu (Madan Lal), Chirag Patil (Sandeep Patil), Sahil Khatter (Syed Kirmani) and Ammy Wirk (Balvinder Sandhu). Pankaj Tripathi steps in as coach Man Singh. The film rolls in May and opens on April 10, 2020.


John takes the field in 1911

Director: Nikkhil Advani

After Goal (2007), John Abraham revives his screen tryst with football by joining hands with Bhushan Kumar and Nikkhil Advani for the story of India’s premiere football club, Mohan Bagan, in the 1911 Indian Football Association (IFA) Shield campaign. It kicked off on July 10 and ended on July 29 with an incredible victory over East Yorkshire Regiment, an elite branch of the British army. John plays Captain Shibdas Bhaduri in the film which kicks off in November and will be shot in Kolkata over three months, targeting a 2020 release.


Abhinav Bindra’s gold quest

Director: Kannan Iyer

Based on the life of Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, this one has father-son duo of Anil and Harshvardhan Kapoor as Abhinav and Apjit Bindra. Harsh has been training in air rifle shooting since September 2018 for the yet-untitled biopic, which will focus on how Abhinav’s life changed in two decades—from age 15 to 35. The film releases in the last quarter of the year.


Courtside with Saina Nehwal

Director: Amole Gupte

The biopic of Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal features Shraddha Kapoor in the titular role. The film will showcase the journey of the badminton ace as a Hyderabad girl who took up the sport to fulfill her mother’s dream of becoming a national level player and became World No 1. The film is slated for an early 2020 unveiling.


In the ring with Dingko Singh

Director: Raja Krishna Menon

After Airlift and Chef, Raja Krishna Menon jumps into a biopic on boxing hero Dingko Singh with Shahid Kapoor as the champ who was hailed as one of the most outstanding boxers India has ever produced. Presently being scripted, the film will also shed light on the boxer’s battle with cancer. The makers intend to take it on the floors around April this year.


Footie with Syed Abdul Rahim

Director: Amit Sharma

Amit Sharma is following up the success of his last directorial, Badhaai Ho, with a story inspired by the life of former Indian footfall coach, Syed Abdul Rahim, under whose tenure (1950-1963), the Indian team scaled new heights. Ajay Devgn plays Rahim whose life was cut short at 53 by cancer. Meanwhile, the rest of the casting, of other members who will form the football team, is presently underway. The film rolls in a few months and is eyeing a 2020 release.


Unsung hero Murlikant

Director: Prashant Singh

Currently on hold due to scripting issues, the Murlikant Petkar biopic, Murli: The Unsung Hero, has Sushant Singh Rajput as the lead. It’s about an army officer-turned-sportsperson, who won the gold at the Commonwealth Games (1970) and the Paralympics (1972). He also set a world record in swimming in 1972.


Sania slams it

Ronnie Screwvala has acquired the rights to the biopic of tennis ace Sania Mirza, a former No. 1 in doubles, who has won six Grand Slam titles. The contract was recently signed and it’s a work in progress.


Shuttling to the top with Gopi

Director: Praveen Sattaru

Actor Sudheer Babu, who made his Hindi film debut as a baddie in Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi, will play badminton coach, Pullela Gopichand who has mentored Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, among others. The 39-year-old has already started training in the sport and the bilingual is expected to take off soon. Aditi Rao Hydari is reportedly signed on for the female lead.


Bend it like Bhutia

Filmmaker Anand Kumar is working on football captain Bhaichung Bhutia’s biopic. The Sikkimese striker became the captain in 1998 and has played for India for 16 years.


Gama returns

Salman Khan’s TV production featuring brother Sohail Khan as Gama Pehlwan will roll in April and goes on air in July. The show will be directed by Puneet Issar and will be shot in Punjab and London.


Deepa’s journey

Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani are going to produce a biopic on Deepa Malik, who is the first and only woman from India to win a medal at the Paralympic Games. Deepa, who is paralysed from the chest down, has won gold medals at the national level and at the international level in swimming, shot-put and javelin throw. She was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2012 and a Padma Shri in 2017.


Cricketing factor

Director: Abhishek Sharma

Based on Anuja Chauhan’s 2008 novel of the same name (The Zoya Factor), this one is a fictional story of a client service rep who ends up as the lucky mascot of the Indian cricket team during the 2011 World Cup. Dulquer Salmaan plays Nikhil Khoda, a character modeled on MS Dhoni, Sonam Kapoor is Zoya. Shooting has wrapped up and the film will release on April 5.


Batting with Mithali Raj

Viacom18 Motion Pictures has acquired the rights to the biopic of Mithali Raj, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team who made her debut at the age of 16 and soon after hit a century against Ireland, becoming the youngest woman cricketer to do so. She is often described as the Sachin Tendulkar of Women’s Cricket and is first woman to score 6000 ODI runs. Taapsee Pannu has expressed a desire to play her on screen.


Punch ’em with Farhan

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra teams up with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag actor, Farhan Akhtar, for a fictional sport film, Toofan, set against the backdrop of boxing. The film rolls later this year and presents the challenges a boxer faces in real life. Farhan has already started his training.


Learning soccer from Big B

Director: Nagraj Manjule

Nagraj Manjule’s Hindi directorial debut, Jhund, is based on the life of Vijay Barse, the founder of slum soccer. It has Amitabh Bachchan playing a retired sports teacher who weans street kids off a life of crime and drugs and redirects their talent to build a soccer team. A major chunk of the film is set in Nagpur, and the team recently wrapped up a 45-day schedule in the city. The movie is produced by Bhushan Kumar and is slated to release this year.

Rugby for Abhay

Director: Sagar Ballary

The real life story of Rudrakasha Jena is centred around the historic World Cup win of the under-14 rugby team of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in 2007 in the UK. Abhay Deol has come on board to play the Rugby team coach, and the actor wrapped up shooting for the film in December. Ujjawal Chatterjee, director of Escape To Taliban, is also making a film on the subject.

Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 4, 2018)

Shah Rukh Khan who recently attended the send-off hosted by the Paralympics Committee to the Indian contingent taking part in the Asian Para Games 2018, further extended his support to the para-athletes on Monday, International Day of Disabled Persons, by donating 50 wheelchairs. The actor’s NGO, Meer Foundation, has been working closely with Deepa Malik and her foundation, Wheeling Happiness, to smoothen the journey of the athletes as they take the field.

“It has been a privilege knowing and associating with Deepa for a cause as virtuous as this. She is not just an inspiration to many but also a reflection of ourselves as we all are incomplete in one way or the other, and it is for us to embrace our imperfections and achieve our goals. Felicitating these para-athletes is a step forward in achieving the dream of representing India at the Paralympics,’ asserted SRK.

Deepa, the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in shot put the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, described his contribution as a “gracious step” as it “not only facilitates the athletes but also motivates and boosts their confidence”.

SRK’s foundation also provides support to acid attacks survivors and those who have sustained major burn injuries, helping with their medical treatment as also offering legal aid, vocational training, rehabilitation and livelihood support.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 24, 2017)

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 13, 2016)

The Paralympians who brought home four medals from Rio will be on Kapil Sharma’s chat show, The Kapil Sharma Show, this weekend making some revelations.

Deepa Malik, the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Games — a silver in shotput — admitted that she owns dozens of shoes even though she can’t walk. “My husband has coached me through my journey and in my opinion the Paralympics rate far higher than the Olympics because of his humanity,” she said emotionally.

Devendra Jhajharia, the first Indian Paralympian to win two gold medals — he bagged one in 2004 and the second this year for javelin throw — also credits his win to family support. “My wife was a kabaddi player who gave up the sport after we got married and my daughter Jiya pushed me to go for Gold at Rio,” he beamed.

High jumpers Varun Singh Bhati and Mariyappan Thangavelu groused about the bland food in Brazil. “Our coach carries chaat masalas to spice up the dishes for us,” they shared.