December 3 marks the birthday of Mithali Raj, the former captain of the Indian women's national test cricket team. And actor Taapsee Pannu wished her in a unique way - by announcing that she is going to portray Mithali in her biopic!
The Saand Ki Aankh actor will play the pivotal role in Mithali's biopic titled Shabaash Mithu.
"Happy Birthday Captain @M_Raj03 On this Birthday, I don’t know what gift I can give you but this promise that I shall give it all I have to make sure you will be proud of what you see of yourself on screen with #ShabaashMithu," Taapsee tweeted, sharing photos of Mithali's birthday celebration. Mithali Raj led Indian women's cricket team in Tests and T20s and she is the captain of Indian National Women's cricket team.
The photos showed Taapsee and with Mithali, who's cutting a birthday cake. The photos showed the women laughing and enjoying themselves, and one where Taapsee is gifting a rose to Mithali.
Happy Birthday Captain @M_Raj03 On this Birthday, I don’t know what gift I can give you but this promise that I shall give it all I have to make sure you will be proud of what you see of yourself on screen with #ShabaashMithu
— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) December 3, 2019
P.S- I’m all prepared to learn THE ‘cover drive’ pic.twitter.com/a8Ha6BMoFs
Viacom18 COO Ajit Andhare also made the announcement on Twitter.
Thrilled to announce our next with @taapsee takes guard as @M_Raj03, untold & ignored story of the rise of Indian women cricket, in a cricket crazy nation! When world goes big on cricket, we go different, #artoflookingsideways. So waited for this moment. Happy birthday Mithali! pic.twitter.com/w4RhPFuuqu
— Ajit Andhare (@AndhareAjit) December 3, 2019
He said that the idea for the story struck him when he was watching the Hollywood film Hidden Figures, a film about the work and struggles three African American women mathematicians in NASA.
After securing the rights we worked with several external writers to develop the script. However, it was our own creative director Priya Aven who cracked the script I was looking for. So, it’s a completely home-grown film for us. Mithali Raj is a name that stands for women power in the world of Indian cricket.
Taapsee told news agency PTI that she is honoured to play the role and has already started feeling the pressure of stepping in her shoes.
"I don’t think I want to trade this place with anyone else right now. She has always been brave and strong to back truth and her idols, and that is the connection I feel with her. The way she changed the way women's cricket is perceived and seen in India is truly a story worth telling," the actor said in a statement.
"Kudos to Viacom18 Studios for choosing to tell this story. I look forward to working with Rahul Dholakia for this first of its kind story and to learn yet another sport which is treated as a religion in our country, cricket," she added.
Mithali said with the film, she will get a bigger platform to reach young women who are dreaming to make it big.
"I have always stood for and voiced my opinion for equal opportunity for women not just in cricket but across all fields. I want to thank Ajit Andhare and Viacom18 Studios for not just bringing alive my story on screen but also for giving me a bigger platform to be able to reach out to young women who dare to dream," she added.
With PTI inputs