In recent years, Bollywood has seen a surge in biographical films about athletes, especially those in cricket, which is the most beloved sport in India. The trend began as filmmakers sought to tell the inspiring and emotional stories of real-life sports figures, often highlighting their struggles, triumphs, and personal growth.
Actors have engaged in rigorous preparation to authentically depict these athletes, often undergoing significant physical changes, mastering sports techniques, or mimicking the athletes’ body language. A prominent example is the film MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), in which Sushant Singh Rajput took on the role of the iconic cricketer MS Dhoni. The narrative illustrated his journey from a small-town youth to leading India to multiple triumphs, including the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The film 83, released in 2021, is a biographical sports drama centered on the Indian national cricket team under Kapil Dev’s leadership, which secured the 1983 Cricket World Cup. In this film, Ranveer Singh portrayed the cricketer Kapil Dev, while Rajkummar Rao is set to depict former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in an upcoming biopic.
The success of these films has opened doors for more biographical sports dramas, with actors like Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, and Hrithik Roshan preparing for similar roles in the future.
