Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao to portray Sourav Ganguly in biopic

Rumours about a biopic on Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly have been circulating for years, and it now appears set to come out of the pipeline.

Initially, it was reported that Sourav, popularly known as "Dada", had approved the script, and actor Ranbir Kapoor was set to play the lead role. But after the "Sanju" star revealed he had not been offered the role, reports emerged that Ayushmann Khurrana had been roped in for the part.

Now, the latest update reveals that neither Ranbir nor Khurrana will play the role. Instead, Rajkummar Rao has been chosen to portray "Dada" on the big screen.

Sourav himself confirmed the development, according to Indian media outlet Mint.

Asked about the biopic during an event in Bardhaman, Sourav said, “From what I've heard, Rajkummar Rao will play the [titular] role... But there are issues of dates... So it will take more than a year to hit the screens."

Rajkummar was recently seen in the blockbuster horror-comedy "Stree 2". Mint reports that Rajkummar already has several projects lined up, and the biopic’s script is still being finalised. If everything goes as planned, filming for the movie could start in July.

Previously, biopics like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, and Azhar, based on cricketers Dhoni, Tendulkar, and Azharuddin, had made

Sourav Ganguly’s biopic will go beyond his 18,575 international runs, shedding light on his aggressive captaincy and impact on Indian cricket, according to Mint.

The southpaw represented India in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs, amassing an impressive 18,575 runs across all formats. After his playing career, he took on leadership roles in cricket administration, first as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal and later as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Reports suggest that pre-production work has already begun, with filmmakers meeting Sourav at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

While the project is still in its early stages, IMDb has reported that the biopic will be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, with the script penned by Abhay Koranne.

It comes on the heels of recent biographical sports drama films such as "MS Dhoni: The Untold Story", "83" and "Azhar", which generated a lot of buzz in the box office.