Taapsee Pannu to feature in Mithali Raj biopic

Actor Taapsee Pannu has come is set to star in "Shabaash Mithu", a film on Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj.

"Shabaash Mithu" will be backed by Viacom18 Studios and directed by "Raees" helmer Rahul Dholakia.

Taapsee said she is honoured to play the role and has already started feeling the pressure of stepping in her shoes.

"I don't think I want to trade this place with anyone else right now. She has always been brave and strong to back truth and her idols, and that is the connect I feel with her. The way she changed the way women's cricket is perceived and seen in India is truly a story worth telling," the actor said in a statement.

"Kudos to Viacom18 Studios for choosing to tell this story. I look forward to working with Rahul Dholakia for this first of its kind story and to learn yet another sport which is treated as a religion in our country, cricket," she added.

Announcing the film on Mithali's birthday, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios, said the story idea struck him about a year ago while watching the movie "Hidden Figures".

"After securing the rights we worked with several external writers to develop the script. However, it was our own creative director Priya Aven who cracked the script I was looking for. So, it's a completely home-grown film for us. Mithali Raj is a name that stands for women power in the world of Indian cricket.

"Playing her will be the fearless Taapsee Pannu, who is not just a powerhouse of talent but also the face of the new age woman in Bollywood. Viacom18 Studios is proud to bring this untold story of rise of Indian women cricket to life on screen," he added.

Mithali said with the film, she will get a bigger platform to reach young women who are dreaming to make it big.

"I have always stood for and voiced my opinion for equal opportunity for women not just in cricket but across all fields. I want to thank Ajit Andhare and Viacom18 Studios for not just bringing alive my story on screen but also for giving me a bigger platform to be able to reach out to young women who dare to dream," she added.