Showing posts with label Shabaash Mithu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shabaash Mithu. Show all posts
(Crisp) Movie Review: SHABAASH MITHU by FENIL SETA
11:50 AM
Shabaash Mithu tells the untold story of cricketing legend Mithali Raj and her struggles. The childhood portions are very entertaining and unlike any other such sequence in a film ever. The journey of the grown-up Mithali is also quite engaging, especially the obstacles she and the 'women in blue' face not just from society but also from the cricket board. The intermission point is superb and the last 5 minutes of the film are moving. On the flipside, the film moves at a slow pace. The 162-minute-long film could have been shorter. Also, footage of the match has been used in the final and it’s shown in a hurried manner. One wishes the makers had worked a bit hard here, especially when viewers have recently seen authentic recreation of the cricket matches in ’83. Speaking of performances, Taapsee Pannu, as always, rocks the show. In a few scenes, however, she was a little more restrained than what was required. Vijay Raaz is dependable. Kasturi Jagnam is terrific as the young Noorie. Inayat Verma (young Mithali) is cute and a fine performer. Sampa Mandal (Neelu Paswan) leaves a huge mark followed by Mumtaz Sorcar (Jhorna Ghosh) and Shilpi Marwaha (Sukumari Marwah). Darwesh Sayyed (young Mithun) is great as Mithali’s brother and the same goes for Tahir Anand (Subodh). Sameer Dharmadhikari (Mithali's father Dorai Raj), Jyoti Subhash (Mithali's grandfather) and Nishant Pradhan (Mithun Raj) are okay. All in all, Shabaash Mithu is a decent watch thanks to the premise and certain dramatic and engaging moments.
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 734
11:26 AM
A DRY WEEK BEFORE SHAMSHERA WAVE ARRIVES
The last few weeks have not been great for Bollywood. This week too shall be one of those dry weeks though there are the following four films up for release
SHABAASH MITHU: It is the biopic of cricket legend Mithali Raj. Taapsee Pannu plays the lead in this film, which is the first-ever sports biopic on a female cricketer. The film was earlier supposed to be directed by Rahul Dholakia. However, he had to leave the project as it got delayed due to the pandemic. Srijit Mukherji then stepped in. The trailer of this film is impressive and Taapsee seems to have given yet another smashing performance. The buzz, however, is limited. Moreover, after the debacles of cricket films like ’83 and Jersey, one wonders if Shabaash Mithu will be able to excel at the ticket window. The opening of the film is expected to be in the range of Rs. 1-1.50 crore.
HIT - THE FIRST CASE: It is the remake of the 2020 Telugu film of the same name. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra in lead roles and is about a cop who is trying to solve the case of the disappearance of a young girl. Though the trailer is intriguing, the film has failed to generate any sort of excitement. It also looks like a film for the classes and will have no chance in the mass centres. Its opening would be in the range of Rs. 1 crore or even less.
LADKI: It is directed by Ram Gopal Varma and stars Pooja Bhalekar as a martial arts fighter. The film’s posters and trailer caught attention as it features a skimpily clad Pooja fighting baddies. The release is limited as the hype is minimal. It stands a chance in B and C centres and might even do better than Shabaash Mithu and Hit - The First Case in certain cinemas.
JUDAA HOKE BHI: It is directed by Vikram Bhatt and written by Mahesh Bhatt. The thriller stars Akshay Oberoi and Aindrita Ray of Bhavai fame. At one point, such films by Vikram Bhatt would be able to find at least some audience. In the case of Judaa Hoke Bhi, the marketing strategy is absent. Viewers are not even aware that such a film is being released in cinemas. Hence, it’ll have a very tough time at the box office.
Besides these aforementioned films, Jaadugar will be released on Netflix, on July 15. It stars Jitendra Kumar and Arushi Sharma of Love Aaj Kal fame. Sameer Saxena of TVF has directed and also acted in the film. It is a story of a small-town man who aspires to be a magician and who has to reluctantly participate in a local football tournament to win his love. The film looks like a clean entertainer and hence can record significant viewership.
I loved Shahid Kapoor's Jersey but its box office result broke my heart-Taapsee Pannu
8:10 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; July 13, 2022)
Taapsee Pannu is among those artistes who pick up films that become conversation starters. The actress will now be seen playing Mithali Raj, one of India’s celebrated women cricketers, in the biopic Shabaash Mithu. In a chat with BT, Taapsee spoke about what it takes to play a woman in blue and more. Excerpts:
Shabaash Mithu is your first film after Thappad (2020) that will release in the theatres. Are you nervous?
I am! We’ve lost touch with the feeling of having butterflies in our stomachs, the pressure of the numbers over the weekend and the audience verdict. Every film has a taker on OTT, but in a theatre, the sheer pull of the actor and the film is tested. It is nerve-wracking to be back in this position and it’s cool to be here.
I have a responsibility on my shoulders, and I had missed feeling this pressure. The audience is so used to consuming content at its own pace that bringing them out for a community-viewing experience is a big deal. We’re banking on cricket, which is loved so much in our country and this is the first time we will see a woman in blue on the screen. Having said that, nothing can be predicted.
I loved Jersey (headlined by Shahid Kapoor), but its box office result broke my heart. I can’t wrap my head around it. And yet, nothing should stop us from taking those risks. We can never get over that fear ki audience aayegi ki nahi. This is the time for the audience to show its faith and love for you. This is our reality check. The day the box office stops making me nervous, I’ll know that I’ve become indifferent towards my work and it’s time to change my job!
Shabaash Mithu was made over two years. The director was changed after the film briefly went on the floor. What kept you so deeply invested in the project all along?
When the studio approached me, the film was just an idea. They needed someone who could commit time and dedication to portray someone like Mithali Raj, who has numerous achievements to her credit and stands for some extremely vital changes in our society. One had to commit time and effort to learn the sport first and then, understand the person who one was offered to emulate. I was excited to play her, but I didn’t know how challenging it would get at multiple levels. When I read and heard the script, I saw that in many places, the writer had mentioned Taapsee instead of Mithali. The script was written keeping me in mind, which doesn’t happen with all the scripts. Things like these kept encouraging me to push myself harder for this challenging part.
In a cricket-obsessed nation, this is one of the first films that depicts the journey of a woman achiever in this game. Did that play on your mind when you signed it?
Yes, in a good way. I used to train for eight hours on the pitch. It would exhaust me, but that didn’t stop me. I didn’t want to play the sport badly or incorrectly on screen. In a country like ours, there is a weird notion about women cricketers that they don’t play as well or their game is not as impressive. It constantly played on my mind that no one should step out of the cinema hall and say things like, ‘Female cricket pe film hai na, toh itni exciting nahi hai.’ I pushed myself as hard as I could. Srijit sir (Srijit Mukherjee, director) would make me go through numerous retakes till I hit a four or a six as required. Cricketers and Mithali’s contemporaries Devika Palshikar and Nooshin Khadeer and physical therapist Akanksha Satyavanshi, who is also the physio for the current women’s team, helped me in a big way to understand Mithali as a person and as a sportsperson. They’ve all been with Mithali for years.
She was at the peak of her games when we were shooting, so we would only converse on messages and exchange notes.
You’ve mentioned in some of your interviews that Mithali’s personality is completely different from yours. What was the process like for you to bring out the nuances of her personality on field and off it?
Mithali and I are like chalk and cheese. She doesn’t talk much and is less expressive verbally. She’s an observer more than a talker. Generally, biopics have some typical tropes to depict a winner’s sentiment or something heroic — like high-energy shots, some kind of chest-thumping, jump in the air. Here, we had to depict a winner who has led a heroic journey but is not overtly expressive. In many of her clips, I’ve just seen her smiling. I wondered how we would do this and would people accept this. Many of us, including me, woke up to Mithali and her journey very late in the day. We had to take some liberty to bring her emotions out on the big screen without going overboard. She’s had a supportive family, she’s led India from the front, she’s fought several battles to get this far. I needed to understand her as a person while playing her. Mimicking is not how you depict someone. You won’t find accented Hindi in the film though Mithali is from a Tamil family, residing in Hyderabad. Her Hindi is neutral and accent-free. When Mithali gave the trailer a thumbs-up, I was relieved.
Shabaash Mithu also focusses on the gender bias in the sport, which sportspersons like Mithali Raj have tried to address and change in India... The tag of Gentleman’s Game and the fact that we, including me, didn’t know much about Mithali, the women’s team and their journey till the 2017 World Cup finals is something to think about. There’s a line in the trailer where Mithali is asked who her favourite male cricketer is. The way she tackled that in real life stayed with me. As an actress, I have been asked several times which male co-star I would like to team up with. I am not sure how many male colleagues have been asked the same question about a female co-star. I guess the female actor is immaterial, no? It’s this thinking across fields that we have to change.
I’ve been a cricket fan from childhood, but I started following women’s cricket very late in the day. We also treat the men’s team very differently from the women’s team. The conditions in which they’ve played and come this far have been challenging. From leftover jerseys and kits to a pay packet for the national team that equals a men’s domestic team — there’s a lot that Mithali and her contemporaries have fought and continue to fight. The stories of their struggle make me cry. It hasn’t been easy for girls to choose a sport and that, too, cricket as a career. It’s a vicious circle here; basics nahi hain, toh game utna accha kaise hoga, nahi hoga toh audience nahi hogi, audience nahi hai toh…it goes on and rolls right back to where the argument started. It took Mithali 23 years to put a foot in the door. Today, there are younger players and things are slowly changing.
Sourav Ganguly told me, ‘Mithali Raj is legendary. You must do this well’-Srijit Mukherji
10:52 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; July 12, 2022)
It took him five years to return to direct a full-blown Bollywood film after Begum Jaan in 2017. In a conversation with Bombay Times, National Award-winning director Srijit Mukherji talks about making his upcoming film,
Shabaash Mithu headlined by Taapsee Pannu, which is based on the life of ace cricketer Mithali Raj, his passion for the sport and the changing norms of content creation today. Excerpts:
Shabaash Mithu had a different director on board earlier and when you took charge, the film had already gone on floors. Was it difficult to find your space in such a scenario?
It was difficult. The pre-production work was already over and I had to restructure it. The original plan had to be changed. Looking at the way modern cricket-watching has evolved, we could not shoot matches for real. We decided to use footage, which was the more prudent thing to do. Also, we were shooting with COVID scare still in the air. A lot of locations became out of bounds and so on. So, we had to restructure the blueprint, which was challenging, but we managed well. As an ardent cricket follower, I was clear about how those portions had to be shot and shown in the movie.
We even cast many state-level players in the film, which is easier than training actors to become cricketers. Also, I reinstated certain things that had been taken out of the original screenplay. The points where your vision doesn’t match the writer’s or the studio that’s backing the film, is where you have to arrive at a consensus, which I enjoyed.
Since Taapsee had already prepped herself based on the vision of another filmmaker, how did you get her on board with how you wanted to shape the film?
It started with our first meeting where we started talking about her stance and I suggested some technical changes to the way she held the bat and her body language. Subsequently, it turned into a freewheeling chat about issues like how there is inherent sexism in the way cricket is perceived in India, the lack of focus on women’s issues, how Mithali has been vociferous about these matters and has fought a hard battle for several years. I’ve followed Taapsee on social media, and she has similar views about sexism, pay parity and so on. We also discussed how much the script emphasizes on these points, how the message in the film should be strong but put across subtly without being preachy and how we should do all of this without sacrificing the cricket portions. I was extremely excited to work with Taapsee. I had first met her when Pink had released, and we’ve been in touch since then. We always discussed stories, but I guess the stars aligned themselves for this special project. Taapsee lends herself wonderfully to the role — she’s incredibly hardworking and a natural athlete. Cricket is my first passion in life. I ventured into it as a writer, a commentator and a reader. I’m glad Taapsee and I came together to make Shabaash Mithu.
Women cricketers have not received that kind of adulation and attention that their male counterparts enjoy in our country. Given that this is a sports biopic, how did you strike a balance between talking about these topics while keeping the focus on a legendary cricketer’s journey?
Most of the sequences depicted in the film have happened in Mithali’s life. Our writer, Priya Aven, has articulated them wonderfully in the screenplay. I just shot them dramatically, which I felt was needed. Before every sequence, Priya, Taapsee and I would discuss everything — from the setting to the dialogues to how they had to be delivered to ensure that they don’t sound textbookish. While writing the film, Priya shadowed Mithali, interviewed her and spoke to her at length. After that, when I joined in, I also started interacting with Mithali. She would be at different tournaments and in bio bubbles, but she would answer all my queries. I had a lot of technical questions about the evolution of her stance, her grip, whether she had ever done any sledging on the field, her evolving body language and her stroke-making style. These were small, but extremely important parts of depicting her journey on screen. Shooting the cricket portions was the most difficult aspect. We were still in the thick of the pandemic. Also, there was a lot of rain to be battled. Shooting outdoors was a nightmare. Strangely, the only thing that favoured us was that the grounds could be kept empty. India mein women’s cricket mein stadium nahi bharte, so we didn’t have to show that, which was an advantage as far as shooting the film was concerned at that time.
As a cricket enthusiast, what took you so long to make a film revolving around the sport?
It took this long because of Sourav Ganguly. I’m fond of dada and I wanted to start by making his biopic. We kept exchanging notes and I had researched and figured out everything. We kept discussing things over three-four years, but he was so busy that we couldn’t make this work. I couldn’t translate my research into something concrete. So, when Shabaash Mithu came to me, I informed him and he was happy for me. In fact, he said, ‘She is legendary. You must do this well.’ Now, I hear his biopic is being made by another production house.
You made your first Hindi film, Vidya Balan-starrer Begum Jaan, in 2017. If one doesn’t count the anthology, Ray, in the online space, it took you five years to make another Hindi film...
My first Hindi film didn’t work at the box office. I got Ray because my direction was appreciated for Begum Jaan. Success begets success in Bollywood. Begum Jaan barely broke even. With that tag, it gets difficult. If it were a hit, I would have had more offers. But trust me, I didn’t mind it because I feel it’s important to tell stories, irrespective of the language. Today, I want to make films in different languages. I want to make a movie in Malayalam with Fahadh Faasil. I am in talks for a web series where I want to cast a brilliant artiste like Nimisha Sajayan.
OTT has broken the language barrier. Fahad and Nimisha have a following all over the country. In the last five years, I won three National Awards for my Bengali films. I have travelled to festivals with my material and had a blast. I am ready to work in any language, as long as I work on my terms. When I was making Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga, I wasn’t getting funds because the hero of the film was Pankaj Tripathi. OTT platforms changed that barometer completely. The OTT revolution has given brilliant actors and directors their due recognition. Shefali Shah and Rasika Duggal are the busiest names in the market. I have a plethora of things that I’m in talks to make after this. So, irrespective of the language of the content, I have exciting times to look forward to.
I don’t want to hear 'ladki ne dhang se nahin khela’-Taapsee Pannu
8:42 AM
Aware that her technique will be scrutinized in our cricket-obsessed country, Taapsee discusses giving her all to Mithali’s biopic, Shabaash Mithu
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 30, 2022)
It’s a make-or-break film,” says Taapsee Pannu, at the beginning of our chat. It’s surprising to hear it from an actor who is in the golden phase of her career. But to Pannu, Shabaash Mithu is that defining film, one that she refuses to go wrong with. She felt so attached to Mithali Raj’s life that she gave her nod to the biopic even before a script was developed.
The actor begins, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime film on one of our best cricketers. You can’t make a Mithali Raj biopic again. It’s the first film on women’s cricket [in Hindi cinema], and we won’t get another chance to correct it. I was overjoyed to come on board, but there wasn’t a single day when I didn’t wonder, why did I do this to myself?”
Before Srijit Mukherji’s directorial venture went on floors in April 2021, Pannu trained with cricketer Nooshin Al Khadeer. Her training was as much to learn the sport, as to become Raj on the pitch. “Even when Mithali pads up, she puts on the left one first, as a pre-match ritual. She walks lazy, I am a brisk walker. You won’t see her fist-thumping or jumping in the air. At the most, she will flash a wide smile. So, I had to mould myself [accordingly].”
Pannu couldn’t meet the former captain during the film’s making as the cricketer was in and out of tournaments. “I didn’t even get a body double on the film. Getting the [batting] technique right was crucial. We decided to do as many single shots as possible. I would play non-stop for eight hours in the October heat.”
It’s evident that the actor wanted to give her all to the project. She says the determination came from the drive to deliver a worthy biopic, thus paving the way for women-oriented sport dramas. “This is a cricket-obsessed nation, eager to raise eyebrows when a woman is playing. There are few male actors who haven’t played cricket, whereas there is hardly a female actor who has played the sport. I don’t want anyone to say, ladki ne cricket dhang se nahin khela. That kept me going. This film cannot go wrong. As a woman, you have to [do more] to be at par with the standards set by men, and our chances are limited.”
I wanted Taapsee Pannu to do as many single takes as possible-Srijit Mukherji
8:15 AM
Making an exception to the rule, director Srijit on his reasons to come aboard Shabaash Mithu
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 26, 2022)
It’s not unfounded for directors to be replaced mid-project. By the time Srijit Mukherji came on board to helm Shabaash Mithu—the biopic on Indian cricketer Mithali Raj—not only was the script locked but an entire schedule was wrapped up under the tutelage of filmmaker Rahul Dholakia. While the footage was later scrapped, the vision was set, but that didn’t deter Mukherji, who believed he brought his own love for the sport to the film.
“I have witnessed how her [Mithali Raj] cricket has evolved over the years, and I have read extensively on the sport,” said the Begum Jaan director, who played the sport through university.
Mindful that sports films and biopics are often dissected extensively, Mukherji ensured that he had experts on set to help him take care of the nitty-gritty. “We hired a consultant to help with camera placements for the broadcasting of matches. I decided the choreography for strokes, what stance to take and what kind of cricketing to focus on based on my research,” he said, adding that since films based on cricket often banked on many cuts, he wanted Taapsee Pannu to “do as many single takes as possible”. “Taapsee learnt the sport and didn’t use a body double throughout the film.”
Mukherji expressed his gratitude to Raj for giving him free rein to narrate the story. “Mithali gave us full autonomy to cinematically tell the story how we deemed fit. We shot this film in COVID, so most of our prepping with Mithali happened on Zoom. Shabaash Mithu is a faithful recounting of what happened in women’s cricket,” added the National Award-winning filmmaker.
The film highlights how a generation of female cricketers dignified the sport for the whole tribe of women who aspired to be in the Gentleman’s sport. Mukherji explains, “I wanted to do a film on this, even though I usually don’t direct films whose scripts I haven’t written. The script [of Shabaash Mithu] was spectacular, and the story was power-packed. It is a golden opportunity to celebrate a legend’s life and underline everything she powered through to win.”
Srijit Mukherji and Mithali Raj
Trailer of Taapsee Pannu-starrer Shabaash Mithu to be unveiled today
8:21 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (June 20, 2022)
With the call of ‘Nazariya badlo, khel badal gaya’, Viacom18 Studios production’s Shabaash Mithu’s trailer will be unveiled today. The film, headlined by Taapsee Pannu, is based on the life and career of Mithali Raj, the decorated former skipper of the Indian women’s cricket team, who recently announced her retirement from a career spanning 23 years over which she has captained the team in four World Cups and scored over 10,000 runs in ODIs.
Taapsee says, “It has been an honour and a milestone for my career to play such a strong, determined and powerful icon. It’s a film very close to my heart, as personally, I’m a fan! It has been a hyperbolic learning experience, and I’ve now nailed down one more sport.”
The film, produced by a studio that has previously made hits like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Kahaani, Queen, Mary Kom and Andhadhun, promises to show how women’s cricket is treated in a country obsessed with the game. Unfortunately, even today, with exemplary cricketers like Mithali leading the charge in women’s cricket, people are dismissive of young girls wanting to take up the sport. The film showcases the story of the legendary player, who not only changed the game but also inspired billions of young girls and women. The trailer teases the audience with a sneak peek into the compelling journey of the ace cricketer.
Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios, says, “Women’s contributions in various fields go relatively unrecognized by society and nowhere is this more apparent than cricket. Our girls have been shining globally for a decade, but in India, our society is yet to recognize their achievements. This story that’s been in the making for four years will inspire every girl to pursue their dreams fearlessly. Riding on the capable shoulders of Mithali, this story is a shining example of what determined Indian women can achieve. We are excited to bring it to the silver screen.”
Mithali Raj shares, “I’m looking forward to Shabaash Mithu and I hope it reaches every home and every little girl’s heart, so that she too can follow her dreams just like I did.”
The film, directed by five-time National Award-winning filmmaker Srijit Mukherji, releases on July 15.
I wish Mithali Raj got the chance to play for a grand finale like Sachin Tendulkar-Srijit Mukherji
7:59 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (June 11, 2022)
Mithali Raj's decision to retire saw a flurry of messages on social media, while fans and followers of her game paid emotional tributes to the trailblazing batter. One of them was Srijit Mukherji, director of the biopic Shabaash Mithu, in which Tapsee Pannu essays the role of Mithali.
Srijit ruled out any possibility of a change in the narrative of the film, which is supposed to hit theatres a month later. "The narrative follows a certain journey, a certain rhythm and climax, and this announcement will not find a place in it," he says.
The announcement, he says, has had a huge imp act as "it brings forth a lot of messages, a lot of emotions from cricketers & fans." Says Srijit, "Many people who were not aware of how tall a legend she is, got an idea from social media and it may help them understand the enormity of the legend called Mithali. And her stature and her contribution goes beyond cricket in so many ways."
Srijit, however, wishes the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket had that one chance to play a grand finale, for her fans to be able to give her a standing ovation – something which every sportsperson yearns for. "Sachin Tendulkar got one tailor-made at Wankhede from his home crowd, which made for a fitting finale to an unbelievable career. Mithali could also have had a similar one. But it is entirely her decision to retire, we respect that," he adds.
-----------------------------------
YOU CHANGED THE GAME, NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO CHANGE THE PERSPECTIVE: TAAPSEE
Taapsee, too, took to social media to share a heartfelt message for Mithali along with their photo after the announcement. She wrote, "Youngest ODI captain for Indian cricket Team. The only Indian cricketer to captain the team in 4 world cups and reach finals twice! Youngest cricketer to score 200 in a test match. Highest scoring Indian cricketer in the debut international match. The only indian cricketer to score 7 consecutive 50s in ODI 23 years from hustle to glory. Some personalities and their achievements are gender agnostic. You changed the game, now it's our turn to change the perspective! Etched in history OUR CAPTAIN forever @mithaliraj On to the next innings of life (sic)."
Taapsee Pannu couldn’t digest a lot of foods and had kept her distance from wheat and dairy-Munmun Ganeriwal
7:30 AM
Having penned the foreword of a new book by her nutritionist, Taapsee Pannu discusses how Munmun Ganeriwal’s diet, that targets the gut, helped her attain peak health
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; December 15, 2021)
Taapsee Pannu’s schedule while preparing for a sports-based drama (Rashmi Rocket) was so regimented that a timer dictated her bathing routine. She would wake up at 5 am for a two-hour sprint-training session. It was followed by a 12-hour filming schedule, and by the time she returned home, she would allot for herself no more than 45 minutes to head to bed. “I needed to sleep immediately to give my body enough time to rest and recover, because I had to be ready for the next day’s training. That was either a [sprinting] session, or a routine in the gym. The whole process was mentally draining. You begin to feel like a machine,” the actor tells mid-day, asserting that she would have failed to maintain that lifestyle if it wasn’t for the nutrition plan chalked out by Munmun Ganeriwal.
If the actor’s rather swift physical alteration for the film had raised eyeballs, her ability to lift the weights that she did instantly turned people dismissive. “They were convinced that there was no way I could have pulled it off without the use of [banned substances],” says the actor, crediting Ganeriwal for bringing about the change organically. In a soon-to-release book, for which Pannu has penned the foreword, the nutritionist doles out the secrets to creating the kind of lifestyle that enabled the actor to do so. We’ll give you a hint — it starts with the gut!
The two-month transformation
“While we began preparing for the film in 2020, Taapsee had been my client since 2018. We had already been working with her to address her nutrition [concerns], and by the time she had to prepare for this film, her gut health had been revamped. She was in great shape — physically, physiologically, and even as far as her fitness levels were concerned. Once your digestive system is in a state of balance, you can bring about a transformation of this kind in such a short span of time. But if your gut health is not good, then you may consume the best quality foods, but your body will be unable to utilise its nutrients,” says Ganeriwal.
While Pannu says she inherits a poor metabolism from her mother, the nutritionist prefers to refer to it as “sluggish”. “We could notice that it was so because she had chronic and acute acidity. She couldn’t digest a lot of foods and had kept her distance from wheat and dairy. When you have such a metabolism, it is important to know that there are always ways to improve it.”
As for the actor, she knew Ganeriwal’s methods would suit her when the latter, instead of presenting a nutrition plan, asked her to list her daily meals. “So, instead of telling me, ‘This is what you have to eat’, she asked me what I do eat, and then began to make minor tweaks to rectify the follies in my diet. That approach seemed to be sustainable. I have seen the kind of diets my [contemporaries] follow. And I always feared taking to them, because I love food. Fortunately, this plan looked nothing like that.”
Breakfast like a king... No, thank you.
Ganeriwal says lunch is among the most essential meals of the day. Pointing to how most individuals have a “pre-breakfast comprising seeds and nuts”, and then a wholesome breakfast soon after, she says individuals, including actors, often skip lunch. “At 5 pm, they will feel hungry and eat whatever they can get their hands on, and then have dinner after that,” she laments.
For Pannu, she chalked out a different plan. She reduced her breakfast to “the bare minimum”. By lunch time, Pannu was always fairly hungry. “She’d have her lunch at around 12.30 pm, and that was a fairly huge and substantial meal. You must remember that even if you have access to the best foods, if you eat them at the wrong time, they are still toxic.”
Lift like a lady
Pannu asserts that the strength she developed during the process of sprinting and lifting was acquired by natural sources of food. “Even if that meant eating what I hate, like the five varieties of sweet potatoes that Munmun would recommend, I’d still do it. Also, I don’t know why people have a fascination with quinoa, which is not even an Indian-produce. I was always told to eat local. When I filmed in Mumbai, I was given meals that are grown here. When I was in Rajasthan, I consumed the foods that are produced there. The whole process of gaining muscle mass was done so efficiently that, after the film, I was able to reduce muscle size without losing their shape and definition, by only by reducing the amount of food I consumed.”
The efforts bore fruit — as Pannu shifted attention from the running-based film to her next, Shabaash Mithu — which sees her as a cricketer — she was already in peak health. “Compared to the training of that film, Shabaash Mithu was like a being on holiday. Since I was already so fit, all that I had to do was learn the techniques of cricket. That was a game of the mind, not the body.”
I have done the typical stuff at the beginning of my career. I’m now enjoying being the grey, bad girl-Taapsee Pannu
8:15 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 23, 2021)
In her eight-year stint in Bollywood, Taapsee Pannu has gone from playing a commercial heroine to a leading lady whose presence in a film promises interesting content. In a chat with BT, she talks about completing a few projects during the pandemic, turning producer and where she sees her career headed. Excerpts:
In 2020, you had said that the first lockdown gave you a chance to slow down and catch your breath, but post that, you have been shooting almost non-stop. And each project has you playing a character that’s challenging and requires a lot of prep. Emotionally, how do you make the transition from one character to another in such a short span?
It fatigues me and drains me out. When I started working last year, post the lockdown, I went from one film to another. In fact, Rashmi Rocket and the subsequent film (Looop Lapeta) had me running for most parts of the narrative. I wrapped up four films between September and February and completed one or two that needed little work to be done. The fatigue was mental and physical, and at another time, I probably wouldn’t feel the fatigue as much as I felt this time.
I was drained when I joined the cast of Dobaaraa. I was also training for Shabaash Mithu at that time. It was exhausting to train and shoot. The characters are in such different spaces that, at some point, it does tire the mind. I stayed put at home after Dobaaraa wrapped up to charge my batteries before the biopic based on Mithali Raj kicked off. It doesn’t bother me that I keep playing these offbeat women because I have done the typical stuff at the beginning of my career. I’m now enjoying being the grey, bad girl. In the midst of that, Thappad came along as the whitest character I have ever played. I don’t think an actor can ask for more.
But somewhere, the fact that you are getting to dabble in a variety of characters must be giving you a kick, right?
Yes, playing the range of characters is challenging and fun. I have waited for years to reach a point in my career where I get scripts that I can’t say no to. I don’t have to say yes to a project merely to keep myself busy, to just work with someone else or make some money.
You’ve just completed the shoot of Blurr, your first film as a producer. The dual responsibility must have been a challenge, given that the film is a psychological thriller of sorts.
Yes, it was slightly different from all my other shooting experiences. I was a different person on this set and my patience and tolerance levels shot up incredibly. I have a lot more perspective on how certain things work beyond what an actor has to do in front of the camera. Previously, for all my films, I had to focus on my performance and deliver what the director needed from me. For this film, the downtime after the shoot and the time before I stepped onto the set was where I was a producer, looking into all that needed my attention. When I was on set for the shoot, I was just an actor like I am on any other set. I had to keep my focus on the character and the scenes.
Now that you have taken the plunge and turned producer have the goals that you had set for yourself changed?
It’s fun to be able to become any character. In fact, I feel it’s dangerous to become complacent in this profession. This liberty to experiment is what this line of work gives you in a big way. You can only grow when you do different things. Today, my aim is to remain a bankable actress for the producers and the audience. At the end of the day, it’s a business where apart from making good films, we also have to be able to make some money.
When I hold a bat while playing a friendly match, I can sense men going, ‘I will show her now’-Taapsee Pannu
8:11 AM
Taapsee, who restarts Shabaash Mithu shoot today, discusses how Mukherji is envisioning the Mithali Raj biopic after taking the directorial baton from Rahul Dholakia
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 13, 2021)
It will be fitting to release Shabaash Mithu by March when the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 will be held. With that goal in mind, Taapsee Pannu is returning on the pitch to tell the story of Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj. The pandemic wreaked havoc on the biopic’s schedule, resulting in director Rahul Dholakia bowing out and Bengali filmmaker Srijit Mukherji taking on the mantle.
As she starts a two-month schedule today, Pannu says her objective is to stay true to the story’s essence. “I am always in a dilemma whether to get the game right, or focus on her mannerisms and body language on the field. But for [Raj], the message matters the most.”
The actor, who along with Dholakia, had shot for six days in April before the second lockdown was imposed, says she is approaching Shabaash Mithu with a clean slate. “Those portions were about her getting selected in the international squad. Now, Srijit wants me to learn things, which I hadn’t as per Rahul’s brief. He wants me to tweak a few mannerisms. I have washed off the previous memories, and am viewing it as base training for the film. Now, we are getting into further detailing of the game.”
Thrilled as she is to tell an untold story, Pannu is aware of the criticism that may come her way when she picks up the bat. “Cricket bat aadmiyon ki jaagir hoti hai,” she jokes. “When I hold a bat while playing a friendly match, I can sense men going, ‘I will show her now.’ They are either dismissive of the woman holding a bat, or they want to put her down. If I face this as an actor, I can’t imagine what Mithali has faced through her journey. It must’ve been an arduous journey for women’s cricket to reach where it is today.”
Having trained for six months cumulatively, Pannu wishes she had more time at hand to learn the sport in its entirety. “Had I trained for a year, I would have [perfected] Mithali’s gait. We can’t overburden a woman-led film; it has restrictions. I hope our stories change things for the next generation.”
After wrapping up Blurr, Taapsee Pannu to kick off Shabaash Mithu next month
8:14 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 4, 2021)
Like any first-time producer, Taapsee Pannu is giving undivided attention to her maiden project Blurr, which is being shot in Nainital. But before leaving for the hill station, the actor met Srijit Mukherji to understand the way forward for Shabaash Mithu. In June, the noted Bengali filmmaker replaced Rahul Dholakia as the director of the biopic on Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj.
It is heard that in the recent meeting, Pannu discussed at length her prep and notes on the character that she has been living for the past one year. After it’s a wrap on Blurr, she will begin shooting for the sports drama in early September.
A source reveals, “The biopic was slated to go on floors in April, but the second wave of the pandemic made the team hit the pause button. Srijit is currently in Mumbai, setting the groundwork for the ambitious movie. Once Taapsee returns to the city, the film will start rolling, followed by an international schedule. The director is expected to meet Mithali soon.”
Srijit Mukherji's next after Shabaash Mithu is Sherdil; stars Pankaj Tripathi
8:20 AM
In his next, Srijit Mukherji highlights the story of villagers leaving elderly as prey in a tiger reserve for compensation
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 25, 2021)
Even as he preps for Shabaash Mithu, his next with Taapsee Pannu, Srijit Mukherji has begun work on another offering, Sherdil. It is based on a real-life story, which will be headlined by Pankaj Tripathi as a village head, who goes into the forest to save his poor family. The film was initially set to roll in November 2020.
“I have written the story with Sudeep Nigam, a promising, bright, and young writer. He is familiar with the required dialect. Sherdil is inspired from a real-life incident that happened in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, where people would leave their [older] family members for tigers to prey on, and subsequently claim compensation from the government. A string of attacks on the older folk had led the forest authorities to grow suspicious,” says Mukherji, admitting that his tale substantially deviates from the news report on the subject that he read in 2017. “My version is satirical and uplifting. Pankaj’s character is a heroic and inspiring one.”
Tripathi and he would often “talk about various movies and stories, and this is my first movie with him. Despite his fame, he is a simple, person, but a powerful actor”.
Should the situation be favourable, he plans to start shooting by the year end. “I plan to conduct recces across natural forests to lock the location,” he says.
Shooting Shabaash Mithu with a different director doesn’t change much for me-Taapsee Pannu
8:12 AM
The actress is eager to resume the shoot of the biopic on cricketer Mithali Raj with director Srijit Mukherji, who has replaced filmmaker Rahul Dholakia
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 25, 2021)
In a recent turn of events, director Rahul Dholakia, who has earlier helmed films like Raees and Lamhaa, bowed out of Shabaash Mithu, making way for filmmaker Srijit Mukherji, who has award-winning Bengali films like Gumnaami, Jaatishwar and Autograph and the Hindi film Begum Jaan to his credit.
Taapsee says, “It is unfortunate that Rahul sir could not be a part of the film. The pandemic played havoc with the schedules. It was a mutual decision made in the best interest of the film. We had only shot for six days. Right now, I don’t know what the plan is and how Srijit sir wants to take this forward. I don’t know if he wants to keep the portions already shot or would he like to reshoot them. I am sure all that has been factored in.”
Taapsee says, “When I got to know that he will be directing Shabaash Mithu, I texted him saying how strange it is that after all that we had discussed, it was this special film that eventually brought us together.”
Talking about going back on the set, this time with a new director, the actress shares, “I am eager to go return to the set. It would have been tough to restart the film if we were too deep into it. Srijit sir can start wherever he deems fit. His entry does not change much for me, except that I might have to shoot for a few extra days. From what I understand, we might have to wait for the rain to subside and then start filming as this is a cricket-driven story.”
Taapsee, trained by one of Mithali’s friends and a professional coach, started filming Shabaash Mithu in March when she was at the peak of being physically prepared for the role. Speaking about getting back into prep mode before restarting the shoot, Taapsee says, “We had only shot a few cricketing sequences of the time when Mithali was about to play international cricket. So, before we start filming again, I have to brush up on my cricketing skills and hit the peak again. Most producers, who I am working with, are getting their crew vaccinated before they begin work. So, hopefully, when we start again, things will be smoother. I have been waiting for shoots to begin in Mumbai again.”
Let us resume work, cry cine bodies as Covid-19 cases get under control in Mumbai
8:06 AM
(From left) Work on Ajay Devgn’s MayDay and Taapsee Pannu’s Shabaash Mithu will resume only after the units are immunised
With Coronavirus cases well under control in Mumbai, Bollywood organisation write to BMC commissioner, saying livelihoods of thousands of daily-wagers are at stake
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 2, 2021)
On May 31, a day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the extension of the lockdown in Maharashtra, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) shot off a letter to the CMO and BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal with a singular appeal. With the city’s daily cases dropping below 700, the cine body urged them to allow the resumption of work in the media and entertainment (M&E) industry that has come to a standstill since April 15.
The letter highlighted that the daily-wage workers have been the worst hit by the shoot suspension, not to mention the producers who have borne massive losses.
J D Majethia, chairman (TV), Indian Film and Television Producers’ Council (IFTPC), notes that television producers are eager to resume work in Mumbai as filming in other states has increased their financial strain. “I’ve been paying the rent for my Wagle Ki Duniya set at Mira Road. There is no relief for [producers] because even if we film outside Mumbai, it only adds to our expenses. We were hoping that shoots will resume by the first week of June, but the lockdown has been extended again,” he laments.
Television’s richer cousin, Bollywood, however, doesn’t appear to share its urgency. A source from Akshay Kumar’s Raksha Bandhan asserts that the team’s safety is of prime importance. “With the vaccination drive underway, we may return to shoot only a month later, after every unit member has taken the first dose,” says the source.
Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi is one of the many films that was only days away from the finish line, before the junta curfew disrupted its plans. Going forward, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali can call for lights-camera-action only when the crew is immunised as there are crowd sequences on the cards. A unit hand says, “The sequences require more than 30 dancers. The dancers will receive their vaccines this week. Alia is due to get jabbed later because she recovered from Coroanavirus recently. [If we start filming by mid-June], we’ll be racing against time as we need to wrap up the project before rains hit the city.”
The same dilemma is faced by the makers of Dongri To Dubai, who have an elaborate outdoor set standing at Madh Island. “With Excel Entertainment leading the way for vaccination, the entire crew will be inoculated this week. They should be able to call it a wrap by mid-August,” reveals a source.
Big-ticket productions that are playing the waiting game include Prabhas’s Adipurush, Kumar’s Ram Setu, Taapsee Pannu’s Shabaash Mithu and Ajay Devgn’s directorial venture MayDay.
Goa and Telangana under lockdown; what’s the next move for Bollywood and Television producers?
8:16 AM
The shoots of Adipurush and Shabaash Mithu are in limbo
With lockdowns announced in Goa and Telangana, makers of Adipurush, Shabaash Mithu play the waiting game; TV producers seek new locations for shoot
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 15, 2021)
The past four weeks haven’t been easy on film and television producers. After the Maharashtra government imposed a junta curfew on April 15, some producers called off their shoots while several others promptly moved base to Goa, Hyderabad and Silvassa to continue filming their projects. Now, with a lockdown announced in the beach state and Telangana, it’s a déjà vu moment of the worst kind for the makers.
The unit of Taapsee Pannu-starrer Shabaash Mithu was Hyderabad-bound in April. “A few days into the shoot, the production found it too risky to work amid the rising cases, even though they were in a bio-bubble. One of their gravest concerns was the fragile healthcare infrastructure in the city, so they returned to Mumbai by April-end,” says a unit hand.
The makers of Adipurush are at their wits’ end. The team, including Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon, were expected to leave for the south Indian city in the second-half of May. A source from the project reveals, “Director Om Raut had drawn up a plan where not more than 20 people would be required on set at any given time as he would shoot, using CGI, at Ramoji Film City. But with the lockdown brought into effect in Telangana, the makers will take a call after two weeks.”
Goa that was reeling under the pressure of television shoots, including Apna Time Bhi Aayega and Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, is finally breathing easy. “There were 13 serials, three web shows and three films being shot,” says Sandeep Natwarlal Kotecha, a line producer in the state. He rues that illegal shoots had become rampant in the past few weeks. “Around 25 units were filming without procuring the necessary permission. The work was halted after they were caught.”
No sooner were the restrictions imposed in the beach state last week than the crew of the Star TV show, Ghum Hai..., flew down to Hyderabad. “The Andhra Pradesh government has yet to issue a lockdown. So, the unit is continuing the shoot of their own accord in a bio-bubble,” says a source.
Even as the team of Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali, currently stationed in Hyderabad, figures out the way forward, creator Sandiip Sikcand says he is unfazed about the hiccup as they have a bank of episodes. “We’re looking at options in Gujarat and Chandigarh.” Meanwhile, industry sources indicate that Daman will become the next shooting hub.
Bollywood plays the waiting game
8:15 AM
With state govt imposing stricter restrictions over the next 10 days, shoot of Gangubai Kathiawadi, Laal Singh Chaddha pushed further ahead; television industry flocks to Goa, Hyderabad to film new episodes
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 22, 2021)
The fate of Bollywood shoots, which were put on hold since April 15, hangs in the balance as the state government imposed stricter curbs that will be in effect till the early hours of May 1. Several big-ticket productions, including Alia Bhatt-led Gangubai Kathiawadi and Deepika Padukone’s yet-untitled next with Shakun Batra, were to wrap up in April. For now though, the movie industry has no option but to wait and watch even as the clock ticks on and production expenses soar.
“Sanjay Leela Bhansali has 20 days of shoot left after which he can call it a wrap on his cherished project. Shakun has only five days’ work left, which requires lead actors Deepika and Siddhant Chaturvedi to shoot at the Gateway Of India. While the team didn’t get the necessary permissions in early April, the shutdown that followed soon after only delayed things further. Similarly, Aamir Khan had planned a 20-day final schedule of Laal Singh Chaddha in Mumbai for April-end. Even after the situation stabilises, Aamir may shoot the portions outside Mumbai,” reveals a source.
The superstar’s son Junaid, meanwhile, is learning of the unpredictability that comes with the profession — the youngster had only begun filming his debut venture Maharaja in Marol when the junta curfew brought it to a halt. It has been tough luck for Taapsee Pannu too, who, after months of cricket training, had faced the camera for Shabaash Mithu on April 5.
Some films have been held off even before they hit the ground. “Shah Rukh Khan’s production Darlings, starring Alia, was to roll this month. After she tested COVID-19 positive, the stint was delayed. Now, she will kick off work on Darlings only after she finishes her portions of Gangubai Kathiawadi,” adds the source.
While most web series have hit the pause button, Sushmita Sen’s Aarya 2 is said to be progressing swiftly in Rajasthan. Netflix’s new non-fiction show, Social Currency, is expected to roll in Goa soon.
Waiting is a luxury that the television industry cannot afford, with the pressure of airing fresh episodes looming large. Birendra Nath Tiwari, president, Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), says that the units of almost 29 shows shifted to other states last week. “Most of Ekta Kapoor’s serials, including Kumkum Bhagya and Kundali Bhagya, have moved to Goa. Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti is being filmed in Gujarat, and Shaurya Aur Anokhi Ki Kahani, at an Umbergaon studio. The units of Imlie and Namak Issk Ka have moved to Hyderabad,” he reveals.
Taapsee Pannu is learning my mannerisms and trademark shots-Mithali Raj
8:32 AM
Taapsee Pannu with cricketer-trainer Nooshin Al Khadeer
As Shabaash Mithu kicks off, Indian team captain Mithali discusses gender bias in sport and why Taapsee Pannu is perfect fit for the biopic
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 5, 2021)
The pride in Mithali Raj’s voice is palpable as her biopic Shabaash Mithu goes on floors today. In her 21-year international cricket career so far, the Indian women’s team skipper has shattered the glass ceiling, compelling the country – unfortunately obsessed with the male cricket team for far too long – to acknowledge that the women in blue were equally accomplished.
The pride in Mithali Raj’s voice is palpable as her biopic Shabaash Mithu goes on floors today. In her 21-year international cricket career so far, the Indian women’s team skipper has shattered the glass ceiling, compelling the country – unfortunately obsessed with the male cricket team for far too long – to acknowledge that the women in blue were equally accomplished.
The Rahul Dholakia-directed story will trace her journey from the 2005 World Cup to the 2017 outing that changed it all. Stating that she has yet to read the script, she says, “After coming under the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] in 2006-07, we have better access to facilities and resources. We have made great headway in closing in on the gap between men and women’s cricket.”
In some ways, Taapsee Pannu is the perfect casting choice to play Raj. “I wasn’t a part of the casting process. Taapsee is a good actor and keeps track of matches. She had texted me after watching the India versus South Africa home series. She is learning my mannerisms and trademark shots.”
To do justice to the unlikely hero and her achievements, Pannu has trained in the sport under the able guidance of Raj’s colleague Nooshin Al Khadeer. “Nooshin has seen me through my vulnerabilities. She is in a better position to help Taapsee train. She can help her understand how I run between my deliveries. She often asks me questions on specific things I do,” adds Raj.
On her part, Pannu who comes off the shoot of Anurag Kashyap’s Dobaaraa, says the most challenging bit for her in depicting Mithali's character is her game. “She is such an effortless player on crease and with that ease she hits the most classic of shots. For someone who has never played cricket before that is the biggest challenge. As a human her journey is inspiring so I am looking forward to the drama part of it for sure,” she tells us.
To be shot amidst rising cases and persistent fear of lockdown, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios is holding fort on the production front. “Firstly, in these tough times with the possibility of looming lockdown, cases being record high, a film of this scale going on floor in Mumbai and being shot across multiple locations in India, South Africa, London itself makes it a very significant film. It's symbolic of our ability to keep the industry going even amidst unprecedented challenges on the ground. Women’s cricket has never been the subject of Indian Cinema. For a cricket loving country to overlook the world class achievements of its women cricketers is a striking irony. Cinema has the ability to bring to center stage stories that are unheard of. It's time we celebrate women in blue through the story of Mithali Raj. So I believe it's a film on a really significant mission."
We had all tested negative; yet we were so awkward and didn’t know how to greet each other-Taapsee Pannu
7:53 AM
Among the first actors to report to set in the new normal, Taapsee Pannu recounts how she overcame the fear of COVID-19 to shoot five films
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 22, 2021)
When the film industry limped back to work in July 2020 after a four-month shutdown, Taapsee Pannu was among the first to report to a set. She has been moving in and out of sets since, wrapping up films at a break-neck speed. Currently filming Anurag Kashyap’s Dobaara, her fifth project post lockdown, Pannu says she still remembers her first day of shoot in the new normal. Caution and fear reigned their minds as the unit of the untitled Vijay Sethupathi-starrer began filming in Jaipur in October.
“I remember my first shoot post-Coronavirus in Jaipur. It was for a Tamil film (alongside Vijay Sethupathi). We didn’t know how far apart we should stand. Unsure of how paranoid the other one is, it was a case tiptoeing around cautiously. The worst was, we were so awkward and didn’t know how to greet each other. We had all tested negative before shoot but the fear of the unknown loomed large. As the days went by, things got calmer. It was a slim crew and the mayhem of a movie set was completely missing. By the end of the shoot, we could sit next to each other without being weird…,” recounts Pannu. After wrapping up the Tamil film in November, the actor followed it up with the final schedule of Haseen Dillruba, Rashmi Rocket and Looop Lapeta.
Like most of us, Pannu was a ball of emotions during the stay-at-home period. If she tested her culinary skills for the first time in a decade, she was also worried about her films being rescheduled. But above all else, it was the pathos of daily-wage workers that made her step out. “I could see daily-wage workers suffering, and it’s not just restricted to them not earning money. Some of these people come from homes where it is hard to stay in cramped spaces for months at a stretch. Their mental well-being was being compromised. I would wake up and read about the industry suffering every day. The day my producer was ready to shoot, I didn’t want to leave him hanging. It was important to step up the teamwork."
On a movie set, actors are probably the most vulnerable as they have to go maskless when in front of the camera. But to Pannu, everything else would cease to matter once the camera was rolling. “There would be times when I’d be on set, with everyone around me in masks, and it’d dawn on me that I was missing an important gear. Before shoots, my family would text me, ‘Be strong.' Going to work felt like a covert mission,” she laughs.
Adapting to the new normal was a process for her. "Open spaces were such a switch in the first few months. Fresh air, green surroundings were such a welcome change and we all adapted to the new rules. Initially, I’d forget my mask when I’d go to the gym. But hotel elevators had these massive charts and I’d run back and fetch the mask."
In 2021, she definitely has a head start over her contemporaries, having shot five films post-pandemic. “I have been moving from one set to the other. Through the lockdown, I could feel work getting piled up and that was making me anxious. Everything was getting rescheduled. People have kept crews working through the pandemic. Honouring commitments before baggage becomes too heavy for the producer to handle. For me, my 2020 deadlines are running a little late but I have made up quite well. After Shabaash Mithu, which is my sixth film, I will feel phew! It would have been my last film of 2020 and I am close to my deadline.”
It was already daunting to portray Mithali and now, the stakes are even higher-Taapsee Pannu
8:32 AM
Mithali Raj, captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, recently created a record by becoming the first Indian female cricketer to score 10,000 ODI runs in international cricket. Taapsee Pannu who will play her on the big screen, says that the pressure on her to pull off such a challenging role is only mounting
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 15, 2021)
A fortnight before Taapsee Pannu officially steps into Mithali Raj’s shoes for her biopic titled, Shabaash Mithu, the captain of the Indian Women’s ODI Cricket Team created a record. On March 12, she became the second woman in international cricket and the first Indian female cricketer to score 10,000 ODI runs. Taapsee, who is currently shooting for Anurag Kashyap’s Dobaaraa, will take a week-long breather and then, start shooting for the biopic, helmed by Rahul Dholakia, towards the end of March.
“I have lost count of Mithali’s landmark achievements,” she exclaims, talking about the Indian skipper. Taapsee adds, “Almost every time that she steps on to the pitch, she achieves something of value, something of worth. She’s conducted her career in such a way that it’s punctuated with so many lovely accomplishments all along.”
Tapsee says, “It was already daunting to play her on the big screen, and now, the stakes are even higher. She holds a record for her 50s. And now, she has surpassed the 10,000-run mark. She is one of the most experienced women cricketers we have right now. There is a lot of pressure to play her on screen. It was already at its maximum when she achieved this high tally.”
With Mithali’s recent record-breaking achievement, do the film’s writers and producers plan to revisit the script? “A biopic has to have a finite start and end to the story. Mithali scored a century when she was just starting out. From that point to now, there is a lot that the script already entails. The tricky part for the writers is that she is a legend, and she is still active in the game,” points out Taapsee.
She further elaborates, “For a film, you need a timeline-bound script. There is a point where you have to let the story rest. If one keeps revisiting the script, one would have to wait to see the results of the World Cup next year before starting to shoot. So, we have chosen a milestone in her career and locked the script in such a way that it’s believable and probably, even on expected lines that she would go on to achieve what she recently has. Mithali is such a consistent and legendary performer.”
Taapsee messaged Mithali to congratulate her on the landmark achievement. “Each time that I have messaged Mithali to congratulate her for an achievement in any match, however big or small it is, she has always been more concerned about the team’s performance. I messaged and congratulated her this time, too. And all she was concerned about was the team’s performance,” says Taapsee.
She adds, “For Mithali, no achievement of hers has ever been more important than the team’s performance. Today, I feel tremendous pressure as I get close to the shooting date. I am anxious because now, I am in the last stages of my training. We will start shooting in Mumbai towards the last week of March. I’m getting excitement- wale jitters to play a living, active legend.”
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