Bollywood has seen a number of cricket related films of late like 83, Jersey, etc. and some are on the way as we speak. One of them is the upcoming biopic of Mitali Raj titled Shabaash Mithu. Director Srijit Mukherji gives us an an insight into what made him choose Taapsee Pannu as his leading lady and his take on the sport. 

Srijit said, “I have always been a cricket buff. I played cricket till the university level. I had a stint as a commentator in the IPL with Star Sports Bangla, too. I have read extensively about cricket. I was aware of women’s cricket even before I came on board for Shabaash Mithu. So, I didn’t have to do a lot of research. I have been trying to make a sports film for the longest time. It felt fantastic when a sports film came my way, that too a cricket film on the life of a legend like Mithali Raj. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.”

Speaking of his leading lady Taapsee, Mukherji said, “Taapsee is a natural athlete. That’s the number one reason behind casting her. The casting was already done before I came on board. I have been wanting to work with Taapsee for the longest time. I have sent her interesting scripts in the past. It was good that we got to work together on this one. 

The physical resemblance is definitely helpful in a biopic of an active person. I wouldn’t say that they are far apart. Of course, they’re not exactly similar. But I think capturing the spirit of the person is most important. Because we know that it’s Taapsee playing the character. So, imbibing that spirit is most important. Trying to make them look like a doppelganger doesn’t necessarily work.”

Talking about the title of Shabaash Mithu the director added, “It gets into the topics of gender equality, prevalent sexism, lack of equal opportunity, lack of media spotlight on women’s cricket, and more than anything else if you chase your dreams with single-minded devotion and dedication then nothing is impossible. There are many reasons for the shabaashi.”

Shabaash Mithu releases on 15th July 2022.