Shoaib Akhtar, the former Pakistan speedster, shared a short video of his upcoming biopic, Rawalpindi Express – Running Against The Odds, on Twitter, claiming that this will be the first foreign movie based on the life of a Pakistani sportsperson. 

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Akhtar, who is one of the most polarising figures in the game, conducted a Q&A session on Twitter under the hashtag #RawalpindiExpressTheFilm. The movie, directed by Muhammad Faraz Qaiser, is set to be released next year in November.

“Beginning of this beautiful journey. Announcing the launch of my story, my life, my Biopic, “RAWALPINDI EXPRESS – Running against the odds” You’re in for a ride you’ve never taken before. First foreign film about a Pakistani Sportsman. Controversially yours, Shoaib Akhtar,” he wrote.

Of late, Indian cinema has also shown great affinity to the sports biopic. The success of movies like Chak De India, Dangal, and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has inspired many filmmakers to embrace the genre. We take a look at five sports stars on whom there are upcoming biopics, which will keep you hooked:

Sourav Ganguly

Earlier this year, a biopic on Sourav Ganguly was officially confirmed by Luv Ranjan’s production house. While the name is yet to be confirmed, many are speculating that it will be called Dada. Fans will get to watch everything from the glorious highs of the Natwest final, when Ganguly went shirtless in the Lord’s balcony, to his infamous saga with the then head coach Greg Chappell.

Jhulan Goswami

Chakda Express is a biopic based on the life of Jhulan Goswami, arguably the greatest Indian fast bowler who is showing no signs of slowing down even at 39. Anushka Sharma is playing the role of Goswami in what would be her first movie in close to five years. “Chakda Xpress is inspired by the life and times of former Indian captain Jhulan Goswami and it will be an eye-opener into the world of women’s cricket,” Sharma wrote while sharing the teaser of the movie.

Dingko Singh

Hailing from Manipur, Dingko Singh was one of the first boxing superstars of our nation, who also won the gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok. He was awarded Padma Shree in 2013, and lost his life last year after a long battle with liver disease. Shahid Kapoor will be playing a lead role in the film, which is likely to be released next year. Dingko has been the inspiration for several boxing stars, including Mary Kom and Vijender Singh.

Abhinav Bindra

A biopic on Abhinav Bindra, based on his autobiography “A Shot at History: My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold and Beyond” has been in pipeline since four years ago. Starring Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor in the lead role, the film is still in the pre-production stage, as revealed by Anil Kapoor, who is playing the role of Bindra’s father in the movie.

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Bhakti Sharma

If rumours are to be believed, Kiara Advani is set to play the lead role in the biopic of Bhakti Sharma, an Indian swimmer who became the youngest in the world to traverse the Antarctic waters. Bhakti and her mother Leena Sharma became the first mother-daughter duo to swim across the English Channel.

(Featured Image Credit: Shoaib Akhtar/ Screengrab)