~*Sushant's Bollywood Journey#19*~ - Page 48

Director Neeraj Pandey and actor Sushant Singh Rajput today visited Keenan Stadium, where team India Captain M S Dhoni spent his cricketing days representing Jharkhand state team, for the player's biopic.

Pandey, who was with his team, inspected the ground and dressing room at Keenan Stadium as well as adjoining JRD Sports Complex where Dhoni stayed during his playing days.

The director also visited hotel Virat, where Dhoni stayed during his playing days during their half-an-hour stay in the steel city, said Rajesh Verma, Secretary of Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA).

Pandey is a director of 'A Wednesday'.

Jharkhand state team coaches Milan Dutta, Subrato Das and Kajal Das were present as they had one time coached Dhoni when he played at the U-16, U-19 and Ranji representing Bihar and Jharkhand.

Verma said tentatively, the shooting of the biopic will start from October.

Later, the team proceeded to Kharagpur, where Dhoni had worked in the railways.

Verma said Rajput, who will be playing the role of Dhoni, has even grown his hair to match like Dhoni's long hair, which earned a praise from former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

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KHARAGPUR: Sushant Singh Rajput may have been a fast bowler in Kai Po Che but if all goes well he may soon the wicketkeeper's gloves. The role wouldn't be easy though. For Rajput has to play onscreen India's most successful cricket captain, M.S.Dhoni.

Writer-director Neeraj Pandey fresh from the success of his 2015 blockbuster, a Akshay Kumar starrer Baby, is now researching for his toughest subject till date. M.S.Dhoni -- A Biography, promises to bring the untold story of Dhoni. And it is not without reason, therefore, that Pandey, Rajput along with a battery of writers and researchers reached Kharagpur on Saturday.

The story which does the round here is that Dhoni reached Kharagpur as a 20-year-old in 2001 desperate for a job. His best friend back in Ranchi, Satya Prakash Mishra, had got one as a TTE in Kharagpur railway station. He tried to follow his friend's steps. The legend goes that the then Divisional Railway Manager (Kharagpur) Animesh Kumar Ganguly, a cricket fanatic, was desperately scouting for a wicket-keeper batsman for his railway cricket team. When he saw Dhoni he immediately took him to the South Eastern Railway Sports Association (SERSA) stadium and bowled him 60 balls non-stop. Ganguly was satisfied and Dhoni got a job - TTE at the Kharagpur railway station.

"Before coming here, they (the film crew) had spoken to Dhoni. He had asked them to come to Kharagpur and meet me. Dhoni still remains in touch with me. He is a simple man still," Prakash said. "I took them to the railway quarters which I shared with Dhoni in those days. The Kharagpur station platforms which we manned. The local SERSA stadium where Dhoni played. They were very impressed by what they saw," he said. Dhoni was in Kharagpur from 2001-2004, leaving to make his ODI debut in Bangladesh in December, 2004.

SERSA stadium secretary Rajesh Singh said, "They had come here. Dhoni used to practice here regularly. Today, we have a small museum with pictures and memorabilia of those days in the stadium." Singh said, "He was always a crowd-favorite. His shots, his aggressive play had endeared many. But what was important is his off-field demeanor. He is such a soft-spoken and quite lad that he should be an example for many. I have personally asked the film crew that since most of the places here fall within the South Eastern railway, they should make a formal appeal to the CPRO. They have suggested a July date to shoot here."

Prakash is very excited at the prospect of a film on Dhoni. "He is an inspiration. After the 2011 World Cup win, I had gone to his Ranchi home to wish him. I have requested him to come down to Kharagpur once and play in the SERSA stadium once. He has agreed. But his cricket commitments hasn't allowed him time. But when he has given his word, he will come back here. He can't forget Kharagpur or us," he said.

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Shooting was to start on June 25 but now has been pushed to July and its Dussehra date has been taken over by another film.

Mirror (June 15) had earlier reported how Sushant Singh Rajput has been training for four months for MS Dhoni"The Untold Story. From ballet to backflips, cardio to cricket, the actor is doing everything he can to look like MSD. The biopic was to roll on Thursday, June 25, but Mirror has now learnt that it will only go on the floors in mid-July. This means that the film which through its first teaser poster had promised a 2015 release and in January announced its release date as October 22, will not enter the theatres this year.

A source close to the development pointed out that it is not uncommon for biopics to extend their deadlines. And in this case, Sushant has had to undergo intensive training, as well as grow his hair long and then cut it short since Dhoni's look has changed dramatically in the last decade.

The research and scripting also took time. "They had to decide what personal and professional details to incorporate and what to leave out. A certain decorum has to be maintained as Dhoni is still a playing captain and has not retired from the game," argued the source, adding that even writer-director Neeraj Pandey was busy with his last film, the espionage thriller, Baby, till it opened on January 23.

Another reason for the delay is attributed to the tricky casting. "A lot of actors have to be cast, including those who will play sports icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly," added the source.

Were Dhoni's form and the backlash Team India has been facing after its recent defeats on overseas tours, also reasons for the makers to wait for a more opportune date? "No, that's not a concern. As long as Dhoni plays, he'll always give his best to Team India and will always be admired. The film will definitely come in 2016 though no date has been locked yet," the source retorted.

Arun Pandey of Inspired Entertainment, an associate company of Rhiti Sports, that has exclusive rights to Dhoni's story and is co-producing the film, when quizzed on the subject told Mirror, "Yes, it is true that the shooting of the official biopic of M S Dhoni will commence in July. We are fully ready now to roll and start the journey to narrate the inspirational story of the man, the legend, M S Dhoni."

Meanwhile, the Shahid Kapoor-Alia Bhatt romcom which revolves around a destination wedding, late on Thursday booked the Dussehra release date that had fallen vacant.

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