After the 2020 film Thappad, Taapsee Pannu’s sports drama Shabaash Mithu has hit theatres today.

The biopic tells the story of ace Indian cricketer Mithali Raj, who captained for the Indian women’s Test and ODI cricket teams in the early 2000s, and holds the world record for the highest career runs in women’s cricket.

Directed by Srijit Mukherji, the film chronicles her early struggles, and eventual rise to the record books of Indian cricket – especially the iconic 2017 Women’s World Cup Finals. With Taapsee Pannu in the lead role, the film also features Mumtaz Sorcar, Vijay Raaz, and Brijendra Kala.

While Shabaash Mithu was delayed due to pandemic difficulties, it finally released this Friday, with reviews from several fans coming in on Twitter. The film released to mixed reactions:

Many viewers felt that the film was good, but was let down by a weak cast:

The film also reminded viewers of M. S. Dhoni in which Sushant Singh Rajput played the lead role:

After Viacom 18 Motion Pictures decided to make a film on Raj’s life, Priyanka Chopra was initially approached, but Pannu was eventually locked for the role. Even before Mithu, Pannu has played titular roles in other sports dramas such as Rashmi Rocket, Soorma and Saand Ki Aankh.

Despite her success with this genre of films, Pannu recently expressed an interest in branching away from sports dramas. A few days before this week’s release, the actor said that after these films, it was time for her to explore other avenues, and experiment with different kinds of projects.

(Featured Image Credits: @taapsee/ Instagram)