Parineeti Chopra on playing badminton in Saina: If I play one percent of what she plays then I will consider myself successful

By Murtuza Iqbal

Parineeti Chopra will be seen playing the role of Saina Nehwal in the badminton player’s biopic titled Saina. Today, the trailer of the film was launched at an event in Mumbai.

At the trailer launch, Parineeti revealed that she took the training of badminton for five to six months, just to learn the basics of the sport.

When asked her that was there any moment when she felt she can’t do it, Parineeti said, “That moment came every day! Every day when I used to leave the court (badminton court) I used to feel like ‘bas main nahi kar paungi’. When the first day I started, I thought I knew how to play badminton. But when you play like professional players at that time you realise that you don’t know anything, and I am sure apart from professional badminton players no one else knows how to play badminton. The one that we play is wrong, the professional players laugh at us that we think we know how to play badminton.”

“Also, there was another problem that I was shooting another film, so that was a logistic issue as well. Actually, when I went to London for the shoot of that film, I took Eshan (Naqvi) with me for the training. So, we were that dedicated that when we come back we give Amole (Gupte) sir and Deepa (Bhatia) ma’am the results they want. We had to make them proud and then make Saina proud,” she added.

Further revealing her experience of visiting Saina’s house, the actress stated, “I will also tell you a story. I had gone to meet Saina in Hyderabad and she also told me that 'I haven’t seen you playing sports earlier', so I told her even I haven’t seen myself playing sports. So, she said ‘I am sure you will be able to play', and then I saw her house. In her house, there are only rackets, shuttlecocks, medals, and trophies. Looking at that I felt the weight of the responsibility. I remember after coming back from there I started double training and even if I play one percent of what she plays then I will consider myself successful.”

Directed by Amole Gupte, Saina is slated to release on 26^th March 2021.