Emraan Hashmi to play Mohammad Azharuddin

The Mohammad Azharuddin bio-pic has kept the grapevine busy for some time with bets being placed on who would relive the cricketer's colourful life on screen. Now TOI has learned, that the much talked about toss-up between Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi has ended with the latter emerging on top.

A source close to Emraan told us that Azhar who has officially given his consent to the film which will tell his side of the story, was really happy to learn that Emraan would be playing him.

Buzz is that Kunal Deshmukh, who had earlier directed Emraan in 'Jannat' which too had revolved around cricket and betting, is being considered to wield the microphone. According to the source, the film is likely to roll in April-May 2014. And Emraan who not only follows the game but plays it too, will focus only on this film once it rolls as it needs a particular look. He's also looking to spend some time with his muse while making this one because he has to have a certain Azhar was one of India's most successful captains, winning a record 103 ODIs and 14 Tests. His career was cut short when South African captain Hansie Cronje confessing to his involvement in match-fixing. implicated Azhar as the one who'd introduced him to the bookies.


Based on a CBI report, the BCCI imposed a life ban on Azhar in 2001. The ban was lifted in 2006 and he was honoured with other Indian captains in Mumbai during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. On November 8, 2012 the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the life ban saying it was "unsustainable".

Meanwhile, Azhar contested the elections in 2009 from Moradabad on a Congress ticket and won, flagging off a career in politics. His personal life has also given the gossip mills plenty to chew on when he divorced his wife of nine years, Naureen to marry actress Sangeeta Bijlani in 96. After 14 years the couple separated in 2010. He was briefly linked with badminton player Jwala Gutta though both denied the rumours. In 2011 his 19-year-old son Ayaz died while racing his bike.

Azharuddin turned 50 on February 8 and there's no better way to celebrate a half century run than with a celluloid bio-pic.

We contacted both Emraan and Azhar but they remained unavailable for comment.