Taapsee Pannu: There wasn't a day during training when I didn't regret not playing cricket as a kid

Taapsee Pannu says doing 'Shabaash Mithu' soon after 'Rashmi Rocket' helped, because she was already in great shape as an athlete.

Bollywood has been fascinated with biopics for some time now, not just of historical figures and patriots but also sportspeople and sporting achievements. Last year there was cricketing drama 83 and Saina, which was based on the badminton champion Saina Nehwal’s life. This year Shabaash Mithu opens the innings in the sports biopic genre. The July 15 release follows the story of recently retired Indian women’s team captain Mithali Raj.

Taapsee Pannu takes to the crease as the celebrated sportswoman who led the Indian team to finals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2017. Multiple National Award-winning director Srijit Mukherji, who is an avid cricket follower, and Pannu shared details about their upcoming movie.

TAAPSEE PANNU:

Were you following women's cricket before this film came to you?

Not really, at least not till I heard this statement from Mithali in 2017: when a reporter asked her 'who her favourite men's cricketer was', she responded if he asks male cricketers who their favourite female cricketer is. We call ourselves a cricket-loving nation and there was a time when I was obsessed with men's cricket, to the extent that during the match I would go and pray for a win. Then with the match-fixing scandal, my heart got broken and I stopped watching. I slowly got back to it with the World Cups, etc. But women's cricket never came on my radar. At least not until I read that statement by Mithali in the papers and that made me ask who is this and then I learnt that she is the captain, and that we have a team and our team is good. That was a moment of awakening for me and Mithali was the window for me to get to know about women's cricket in India.

Taapsee Pannu

If a journalist asked you a similar question, about your favourite male actor, what would Taapsee Pannu’s reaction be?

Mithali’s reaction is one of exasperation. Playing her, I had to restrain myself in my reaction as Mithali, because as Tapsee I would have been more angry than exasperated. Her statement at that 2017 press conference resonated with me because I feel the same way every time I am asked ‘which actor would you like to be paired up with’ or ‘who is your favourite hero’. These are questions I have been answering for 12 years now. And she represented India for more than 20 years.

What kind of training did you undergo to prepare for the part?

For someone who has never picked up a bat in her life, there was not a single day during the training, when I had to get to the nets early every morning and then go to shoot another film, when I didn’t regret not playing cricket as a kid. To be honest I did try, but the boys never let me bat or bowl. They just made me field. Once I got disinterested, I left trying to play the sport. Therefore, our coaches for the film must have been horrified seeing me holding the bat on the first day. They must have wondered how they are going to take her from here to there, to playing a World Cup winning captain.

Fortunately, due to Rashmi Rocket, I was in the best possible shape as an athlete. But I had to work on technique from scratch. I had about six months during which I focused on perfecting what was required for the film. I learnt whatever I had to show and I didn’t go berserk trying to learn everything. After all, only what is on screen is there for posterity. The audience is going to decide how the film is based on what they see, which needs to be convincing.

You have done a spate of athletic roles from Soorma to Rashmi Rocket to Looop Lapeta and now Mithu. Are you done with these physically demanding films?

I don’t want to do another sports film for a while now. But I have learnt never to say never. I have been a sporty person which is perhaps why these roles have come to me consistently. As a child, I started watching sports before I started watching films. Today I get intimidated when I am in the presence of sporting stars but I am not so awkward with movie stars, because from the beginning I have seen sports stars as heroes. These sports-based roles give me the kind of adrenaline rush that I enjoy. But now I am exhausted and I need a break.

SRIJIT MUKHERJI:

What makes this story interesting for a film, especially as Mithali Raj has only just retired from cricket?

When I read the script, I was excited that it takes an unconventional approach to a sports film. There are various points where it avoids the typical template of a sports film and, most importantly, it also emphasises a number of issues that go beyond cricket, issues that have a bigger significance and relevance. That characterises this film, which is not a typical sports biopic.

What are some of the themes that the film addresses?

Gender equality, the inherent bias in the way cricket is perceived in India which is a bias towards the male version of the game, sexism, disparity. It’s not a preachy film, though. It just recounts Mithali’s life, how she has dealt with her achievements, how she has tackled questions in such an effective way, such as the last question in the trailer which was actually posed to her. Her response to that started a conversation. The dramatic recounting of her life in itself underlines the issues.

Was Mithali Raj involved in the script and the making of the film?

Priya Aven, who wrote the script, shadowed Mithali for quite some time. She interviewed her, her parents and her friends. And after it was written, we got the script approved by Mithali. Once the shoot began, Mithali was in a bubble because she was playing. So we did consultations with her via Zoom where we asked her about her favourite strokes, body language on the ground, etc.

Was Taapsee already on board when you came on as director?

Yes. Taapsee is a natural talent, which was an advantage. We had an appointed trainer and coach for technicalities and I too was involved. I too have played cricket till university level and done a stint as a cricket commentator, so in the very first meeting with Taapsee, I corrected her stance with the bat. I told her this is how it evolves over the years as you face different kinds of bowlers. I enjoy cricket so much that I would also go for the net practice at 5-6 a.m. We practised together.

What was the training process like?

The bowlers, who are also the other actors in the film, are mostly state-level players, so the level of cricket is authentic. Taapsee now plays cricket. I had emphasised that merely playing for the camera is not good enough; she would need to fall in love with the game and play the game. Even after pack-up, she would continue playing. She was enjoying the sport. Sports and cricket films are shot in such a way that there are lots of cuts when capturing a delivery and shot. But I emphasised on single takes. I wanted the bowler bowling and Taapsee hitting to be captured in one shot, to keep as many single takes as possible, without cuts and close-ups where you can cheat. Also I did not want any body doubles, so Taapsee had to face state-level bowlers and play. That’s what she did and I am very proud.