5 sportspersons who deserve a biopic and who should play them

Sports biopics have proved their strength at the box office. The inspirational stories of these men and women who face many struggles to attain glory with a generous dose of controversies to add an entertainment ka tadka is just what the audience wants. Mary Kom and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, did not only get critical acclaim but they also were successful at the box office. Next in line is Azhar which sees Emraan Hashmi in the title role. Here are some other sports people who have stories that need to be brought on the celluloid. And here’s who we think can play the part...

On Saina Nehwal

Today, she is among the most known and celebrated badminton champions in the world, but Saina has had her share of struggles, too. At the time of her birth, her grandmother refused to look at her because it was a grandson she desired. However, her mother, who had represented Haryana in badminton, encouraged her daughter. Working diligently and dedicatedly, Saina has proved to be an inspiration to many women athletes.

Deepika Padukone

If there was a role tailor-made for Deepika, this would be the one. Badminton has been a part of her life ever since she was a kid. DP has not only seen her father play, but has been a badminton champ herself. She’s tall, lean and would be the ideal choice to play Saina. In fact, Saina has picked Deepika as the actor she would want to see playing her, if a biopic is made on her life.

Anushka Sharma 

Anushka may not hail from a family that’s into badminton, but being the fantastic actress that she is there’s no doubt that she would do justice to playing Saina. Currently, she’s playing a wrestler in Sultan. However, the movie obviously will be Salman-centric. For her to call a sports biopic her own, she will have to pick a project that focuses on her. And considering she is also a producer, she can actually put together this ambitious project.

Kriti Sanon

Kriti is among the few from the current crop of actresses who would physically fit the role. Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor belong to the petite category, while Kriti with her tall frame and more athletic body structure would definitely suit the character. And though Dilwale didn’t do much for her, she won a lot of praise for her debut film Heropanti, and an author- backed role like this is just what she needs to make sure everyone sits up and takes notice of her.

On Sania Mirza

Sania is the highest-ranked female player ever from India, peaking at world No. 27 in single in mid-2007; however, a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on the doubles circuit, where she is currently ranked No 1. On the personal front, Sania is known for being forthright. She has never shied away from the spotlight. As for her personal life, she was linked to Shahid Kapoor before her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Mallik. It was a high-profile affair, which took a controversial turn when his first wife objected to it. Of late, there have been rumours of trouble in Sania’s marriage, but she is one person, who absolutely believes in living life on her own terms.

Parineeti Chopra

Like Saina wants Deepika to play her on the big screen, Sania wishes to see Parineeti in her shoes. On a personal level, Parineeti has an emotional connect with the tennis ace. The two girls are close buddies in real life. They often party and holiday together. On the professional front, Parineeti is hailed as one of the most talented actresses around and it would be fun to see her bring to life the spunky tennis champ who doesn’t believe in being politically correct.

Shraddha Kapoor

While Shraddha may not seem the sporty kind, she has recently been seen pulling off quite a few action scenes with ease. She has shown consistent growth as an actor and it would be fun to see her playing Sania. Plus, we think she’ll rock the nose ring look more than anyone else on the list.

Alia Bhatt

Alia may not be the first person to come to anyone’s mind for a sports biopic, but the actress has more than proved her might when it comes to pulling off any kind of role. Also, doing a sporty movie would be a great departure from the cutesy image that people have started to associate with Alia.

On Vijender Singh

He got massive recognition when he won a bronze medal in Olympics (2008). With looks to match his boxing skills, Vijender became extremely popular. However, he too has faced his share of struggles, including a major controversy where heroin was found in a car registered in his wife’s name. He managed to tide over the difficult times and is still among the most successful professional boxers in India.

Ranbir Kapoor

Like Vijender, Ranbir is good-looking, tall and extremely popular with the ladies. RK hasn’t starred in a sports biopic as yet, and playing Vijender will give him an opportunity to try something new. Plus, his female fans will surely love to see a beefed-up avatar of the otherwise lean actor.

Aditya Roy Kapur

Aditya has not starred in a biopic so far. Getting into the ring will give him an opportunity to show a completely different avatar. While most actors of his generation have tried their hand at action movies, Aditya has steadfastly stayed away from them. Time to pack a punch?

Ayushmann Khurrana

Ayushmann, till date, has played the guy-next-door kind or roles, it’s about time he tries something larger-than-life. He has charmed the audience with his acting chops, but can he pack a punch when it comes to an action film?

On Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Australia on October 20, 2010, at Visakhapatnam. His Test debut came against the same opposition in March 2013 at Mohali where he scored the fastest century by any batsman on Test debut. The cricketer’s handlebar moustache became the talk-of-the-town, sparking off a trend of sorts. As for his personal life, he met wife Ayesha Mukherjee on Facebook. The two were introduced to each other by cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Ayesha, who is 10 years older to Shikhar, is a half-Bengali, half-British amateur boxer, has two daughters from her first marriage when they tied the knot. The couple now has a baby boy, Zoravar Dhawan.  

Ranveer Singh

Can anyone rock the handlebar moustache like Ranveer? That itself makes him the top contender for this role. The lean actor will absolutely fit the role. A sports biopic would also be a good addition to his already impressive resume. He will definitely score well with this one.

Randeep Hooda

Few actors can get under the skin of the character they are playing like Randeep does. Be it playing a truckdriver in Highway or the charming criminal Charles Shobraj in Main Aur Charles, Randeep makes the transformation seem effortless. Like many other actors he still hasn’t done a biopic.

Arjun Kapoor

When there’s talk about Ranveer, Arjun can’t be far behind. He may have put on a bit of weight in recent times, but his Ishaqzaade avatar will be perfect to have him playing Shikhar on the celluloid.

On Yogeshwar Dutt

The visual of Yogeshwar Dutt holding his bronze medal while sporting a massively swollen eye at Summer Olympics 2012 is unforgettable. He won his last bout in under 1:02 minutes. The athlete, who began training at the age of seven, has had humble beginnings and his rise to glory is a story that needs to be told.

John Abraham

If there’s anyone who doesn’t have to prepare to play a wrestler it’s John. The actor who has made a name for himself as an action star would be the top pick to play Yogeshwar on screen. Few know that John was to star in a movie based on the life of Gama Pehlwan. However, it didn’t materialise as Salman Khan too was planning a movie on the wrestler’s life with Sohail in the lead role. John has often expressed his desire to make movies based on sports.

Sidharth Malhotra

In a recent interview to this paper, Sidharth said that after doing a nice movie like Kapoor & Sons, he know wants to go back to beating people. And wouldn’t it be fun to see him do that in desi style. The actor showed immense dedication when he took up the challenge to bulk up for Brothers where he played a MMA fighter. Among the younger lot of actors he is definitely well suited to slug it out in the ring.

Vidyut Jammwal

Vidyut may not be in the same league as John, but the Force actor sure has lot of potential when it comes to this particular genre. He has the physique, the height and the look that makes him eligible to be a part of this category.