With the presentation of the first poster of ‘Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story’, Rajkummar Rao he will don the skin of India’s most challenging cricket captain. However, the announcement has also sparked waves of nostalgia and bittersweet memories online. Long before Rajkummar Rao was locked in to recreate the iconic celebration of the shirtless Lord under the direction of Vikramaditya Motwane, the late Sushant Singh Rajput had fiercely pursued the project. After the monumental success of ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’, Rajput was incredibly eager to portray ‘Dada’ on screen and had even initiated personal talks with the cricket legend in 2018 to acquire his life rights.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s reported interest in the biopic
According to Pinkvilla, Sushant Singh Rajput was eager to helm a film based on the life of Sourav Ganguly after winning praise for his portrayal of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’. The actor reportedly wanted to continue exploring sports dramas and believed that Ganguly’s journey would make an inspiring cinematic story. Reports suggested that Sushant was deeply interested in portraying the former Indian skipper and even initiated efforts to acquire the rights of Ganguly’s life story. The report said, “He was also trying to get the rights to Sourav Ganguly’s life as he was too excited to play him on screen. Sushant loved Dada and after meeting him, he had asked his team to initiate talks with the former Indian captain.”Reports claimed that discussions between Sushant and Sourav Ganguly’s representatives took place in 2018. However, Ganguly was reportedly not ready to make a film on his life at that stage. The report further stated, “Ganguly was not very interested in making a film on his life then and politely declined the offer. Sushant was a bit upset about it, but also asked the cricketer to give him the rights of his biopic, when he was comfortable.” He had also smiled and agreed at that time.” Although the project did not materialize then, the reported interaction continued to be remembered by fans after Sushant’s death.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death and family’s demand for answers
In June 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his residence in Mumbai. His death became one of the most discussed cases in the country, leading to multiple investigations and widespread public attention. Over the years, his sister Shweta Singh Kirti has continued to seek updates on the investigation. In March 2024, the Prime Minister shared a video message Narendra Modi to intervene
Rajkummar Rao steps into Ganguly’s shoes
The biopic has now officially gone ahead with Rajkummar Rao playing Sourav Ganguly. The recently released first poster recreates Ganguly’s iconic balcony celebration at Lord’s Cricket Ground after India’s memorable win in the final of the NatWest Trophy 2002. Before Rajkummar Rao’s casting was officially confirmed, reports had also linked Ranbir Kapoor to the project However, Sourav Ganguly later announced that Rajkummar would be helming the film.Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, ‘Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story’ is slated to hit theaters on May 14, 2027.