Starring Parineeti Chopra, world champion badminton player Saina Nehwal’s biopic is directed by noted filmmaker Amole Gupte.
The three have formed a mutual admiration society during the preparation and now shoot for the highly anticipated film!
Apparently the director has been working on the movie for years, two and a half to be exact, to get it ready to make and make it perfect. He has nothing but praise for his actress! “ Parineeti is an amazing actor. I’m not saying this because we cast her in the movie. The footage is magical.”
Saina is nervous but excited about the film and that Gupte and Parineeti are bringing her story to life.
Talking about how the director keeps on giving frequent updates about the scenes and the shoots, Saina said, “I am happy that he’s directing my biopic. He knows how to handle such stories and he knows everything about my life very well. He knows what I am doing, where I am and even the results of those matches that aren’t aired on TV. He also gives me regular updates about the scenes that are being shot and Parineeti’s on-going prep.”
On her part Parineeti has been training very, very, very hard to become just like Saina!
When asked about the emotional and physical investment, the versatile actress had to put while practising and shooting for the biopic, Parineeti shared, “I didn’t want to miss a 45-day spell of training! I am not a sportsperson, so if am portraying one on-screen, I have to be convincing. That’s not an easy task. After meeting her, I’m nervous about how she will assess everything. I hope the effort makes her happy.”
To which the former World No 1 badminton player said, “Playing a sportsperson on-screen when you are not one must be very challenging. I know how tough it must be for her to imitate my style on the court. I just wanted to tell her that I’m there with her to motivate her and guide her wherever she needs me. This sport can be tough for someone who doesn’t know its intricacies. Today, Parineeti knows the lifts, serves and certain shots. She’s worked to get them right. She’s come a long way in just a few months. With what she’s doing, I think it will be an emotional moment for me to see my life unfurl on the big screen. During my conversation with Parineeti, I realised just how similar we are as people. The fact that she’s a little tomboyish and has the right personality to play me is so reassuring.”
Parineeti went on to elaborate on how she is never herself when she leaves her vanity van. She said, “When I reach the set, I’m me, but when I leave my vanity van, I’m Saina Nehwal. That’s the first step. There’s so much that goes into playing someone who is so revered for her skills and achievements in a sport. I’ve never looked the way I do when I am on Saina’s set. It’s a blessing that our physical attributes match; not ticking those boxes would have made things tough. We have been shooting the dialogue-driven scenes. Now, we are shooting the historic matches. The real struggle will begin then, but I’ve never been more motivated in my life. With this new phase in my career and life, this project fits like a glove.”
We also have a special video when Parineeti Met Saina!
Stay tuned for more!
