Sonu Sood is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that he gets it bang on when portraying the life and journey of Olympic silver medalist and badminton star P.V. Sindhu on the silver screen. As the script work for the biopic is nearing completion, ask Sonu why he zeroed in on Sindhu and he replies, “Hers is a journey that everyone has to know and she’s inspired millions with her victories. She’s proved that everyone cannot only dare to dream big, but achieve it too through hard work.” He adds, “When she won the Olympic medal, I started researching on her life and her journey inspired me to make the film. Although it is very challenging to produce a biopic, I feel proud of it.”
Apparently, his team of writers and he have been fine-tuning the script for over two years to ensure that they get it close to the Badminton star’s personality. “We originally planned to have the film until Sindhu’s Olympic win. But later she kept on wining a few tournaments and further set some new records. So we also wanted to incorporate them in the script, making it a more comprehensive one,” he explains.
In the process of scripting, the filmmakers came up with 24 versions of the script and they say that around 95 per cent of the script is done till now. They say they are in no hurry, and shall soon take the final call on which version of the script can be used on screen. “Basically, we wanted to make a larger-than-life script, but at the same time, wanted to keep it realistic and an inspiring one too,” explains Sonu. “Extensive brainstorming sessions have been going on with our writers to strike that fine balance. So far, we have come up with 24 versions.”
Since Sonu is an actor himself, he knew how significant it is to get the facts right, especially when the film is about a world-renowned personality. He explains that extensive research on Sindhu has been done to get to where they are now. “We met Sindhu and her parents and had multiple discussions over time to decide what can be incorporated in the biopic. As we kept on discussing, we were able to flesh out a comprehensive version.” Since the film is based on the life of Sindhu, the inputs given by her family members, friends and well-wishers makes for a good family drama too. “We feel the drama that surrounds the biopic makes for an interesting narrative. The biopic starts from Sindhu’s childhood and her fascination towards the sport. Hence, we wanted to decode her personality for which we spoke to her parents about her behavioral patterns, tough times, memorable moments, people who have inspired her and how her family has rallied around her,” shares Sonu, adding, “The transformation of how Sindhu turns into a true champion will be one of the highlights of the film.”
While it was widely reported that Sindhu will be featuring in a cameo in her biopic, Sonu states that it is too early to talk about it. “Of course, I’d love to have her on board for a brief appearance so that the film will be extra-special and memorable to Sindhu too. But the film is still in the scripting stages… I will try to see where I can fit her in.” As for the casting, several names have done the rounds but Sonu insists, “I am yet to start the process of casting.”
