Viacom18 Studios confirms biopic on Mithali on her 37th birthday

Viacom18 Studios have confirmed a biopic on the life and journey of Mithali Raj. The news comes as the long-awaited gift as India’s most decorated female cricketer celebrates her 37^th birthday today (Tuesday).

Viacom18 Studios have officially announced their next film, Shabaash Mithu, based on the  life of the veteran and most successful women Test batter.  The role will be imitated by the face of new-age women of Bollywood Taapsee Pannu.

The film will be directed by Rahul Dholakia and produced by Viacom18 Studios which has previously backed movies with strong women characters such as Kahaani, Queen, Mary Kom, and Padmaavat.

Taapsee, who has been hailed for playing the 82-year-old shooter “Revolver Dadi” (Grandmohter) Prakashi Tomar in the biopic Saand ki Aankh, will now be portraying Mithali on the big screen.

Read:Mithali Raj becomes first female to complete 2 decades in international cricket

Taapsee has shared with the Delhi Times that, “it is an honour for her to play the role of most successful captain of women cricket in India”. Inspite of feeling the pressure to play this role, she says, “she still doesn’t want to trade roles with anyone else”. She is also excited to work with the director Rahul Dholakia and to learn a sport that is treated as a religion in our country.

Taapsee even expressed her emotions with her fans on Instagram. She cut cake with Mithali and expressed her desire to learn cover drive from her.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Happy Happy Birthday Captain @mithaliraj ! You have made all of us proud in more than many ways and it’s truly an honour to be chosen to showcase your journey on screen. On this Birthday of yours 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 P.S- I am all prepared to learn THE ‘cover drive’ ? #HappyBirthdayCaptain

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) on Dec 2, 2019 at 7:14pm PST

Mithali while having a conversation with Delhi Times said that, “she has always stood for and voiced her opinion for equal opportunities for women, not just in cricket but in all fields”. She adds that, “this gives her a bigger platform to reach out to young women who dare to dream”.

Mithali who has retired from T20Is while still captaining the national team in ODIs and Tests is the highest run-scorer of all time in women’s international cricket. She is even referred to as Sachin Tendulkar of women cricket.

Read More: Life after Mithali: Teenager Shafali in Indian women’s T20 squad