Reality never fails to fascinate: Cricketer Mithali on her biopic

Cricket star Mithali Raj is an inspiration for men and women who dream of making a mark in the sport. The news of a biopic on her unique journey has got everyone interested. A number of other Bollywood films on sports personalities such as such as Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Sandeep Singh, Balbir Singh and Abhinav Bindra are also in the making. Mithali believes that such films help people in learning about the struggles in a sportsperson’s life and getting inspired. The captain of the Indian women’s cricket team says that reality is always fascinating. “There are a lot of hardships that a sportsperson goes through while trying to achieve success. Each one’s journey is different from another. It’s tougher for those from poor financial backgrounds. These real-life stories fascinate everyone, especially the younger generation,” says Mithali, the first woman cricketer to score 6000 runs in one-day international cricket. The 34-year-old’s journey to the top is quite motivating. In 1997, she was on the list of probables for the World Cup squad but did not make the cut. But two years later, in 1999, she made her ODI debut and her century against Ireland became the talking point. She became the youngest woman to hit a 100 in women’s ODIs.

Mithali shares that the biopic will highlight both high and low points of her life. She had earlier said in a statement that she is hopeful that it would also inspire young girls to take up sports as a career. Who does she think can play her well on screen? “That I can’t say, given my little knowledge about acting. The makers will do the best. They approached me for the film and I gave my nod. While making the film, I will help them with whatever they want,” she says.

The recent performance of the Indian women at the World Cup has added to her team’s fame. Mithali wants to work harder. “The increased visibility of our matches helped us reach out to a larger audience. ICC promoted them on various social media platforms. The support has been motivating,” she says.

PHOTO: FOTOCORP Cricketer Mithali Rajbelieves that biopics are inspiring for all