Makers of Saina Nehwal biopic to recreate Manila in Vasai

The upcoming Bollywood biopic based on the life and career of Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal is set to wrap up shooting in January 2020, says director Amole Gupte.

The movie will capture Nehwal’s foray into badminton and her most iconic triumphs since she turned pro. It will feature her notable victories in the early 2000s, her first career title win in Manila and her rise to the summit of the women’s rankings in 2015 among other career milestones.

A tough ordeal

Making the biopic has been a challenging task for director Amole Gupte and his team.

Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who had initially signed on to play Nehwal’s role in the biopic, had begun shooting with Gupte and his team in September 2018 but dropped out soon after and was replaced by Parineeti Chopra.

Earlier this November, Chopra suffered an injury while preparing for the role, but has since recovered and will be available for the shoot that is scheduled to finish in January.

Recreating Saina’s biggest triumphs

Director Amol Gupte has left no stone unturned in doing justice to Nehwal’s incredible career. The filmmaker and his team have built a set with 12 courts in Vasai, a town on the outskirts of Mumbai, that will resemble an array of international stadiums.

“We are covering her key matches; we’ve already turned around over five court designs. Each court is in a different country representing a different match right from the Czech Republic to Manila,” Gupte said during a press conference. “We are shooting each (notable) match for a couple of days and then working overnight to turn the look around for the next one.”

Nehwal’s biopic will be the third to be based on the life of an Indian Olympian, following sprinter Milkha Singh and boxer Mary Kom.