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Rajkummar Rao confirmed to play Sourav Ganguly in official biopic releasing in 2026

The actor says he is learning Bengali and preparing to portray the former Indian cricket captain authentically on screen.

Rajkummar Rao and Sourav Ganguly

Rajkummar Rao will play Sourav Ganguly in upcoming cricket biopic

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Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiJun 26, 2025
Pooja Pillai
Pooja was born in Kochi and raised on a mix of newspapers, pop culture, and too many questions. She studied Communicative English and Journalism before earning her Master’s in Journalism from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and began her career interning at The Times of India and Channel I'M — where she later became a news anchor, scripting and presenting her own stories. Between deadlines, she’s worked across digital media platforms, covering politics, gender, pop culture, cinema, and everything in between. She has interviewed actors, creators, and changemakers, and occasionally edits her own video content — thanks to being certified in Photoshop and InDesign. In 2025, she joined the Asian Media Group in her first “official” newsroom gig, where she now covers entertainment, lifestyle, and the layered realities of South Asian identity. She believes storytelling should feel personal — even when it’s public — and likes to write not to please, but to provoke, question, and occasionally stir the pot.
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Quick highlights:

  • Rajkummar Rao confirms he will play Sourav Ganguly in the cricketer’s biopic.
  • Says he is “nervous” but excited to take on the role of the former India captain.
  • Ganguly has personally backed the casting, calling Rao “the right person” for the role.
  • Film to begin shooting in January 2026, with a planned December 2026 release.

Rajkummar Rao is set to portray Sourav Ganguly in the highly awaited biopic on the former Indian cricket captain. The actor confirmed the casting in a recent interview, officially putting to rest months of speculation.

“Now that Dada has already said it, let me also make it official, yes, I am playing him,” Rao shared. Admitting he feels “nervous” about doing justice to such a towering personality, he added, “It’s a huge responsibility, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Rajkummar Rao and Sourav Ganguly Rajkummar Rao and Sourav Ganguly pictured side by side as biopic casting is confirmedGetty Images


Rajkummar Rao on taking up the challenge of playing Ganguly

Rao, who recently starred in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, is no stranger to biographical roles, having played figures like Shahid Azmi and Srikanth Bolla. Yet, stepping into the shoes of Sourav Ganguly, one of India’s most influential captains, is a different kind of pressure altogether.

The Stree actor shared that he has been learning Bengali over time, thanks to his wife Patralekhaa, and is confident about mastering the accent for the film. “Getting the nuances right is important when you're playing a living legend,” he said.

Rajkummar Rao Rao prepares for the role of a lifetime as cricket legend Ganguly Getty Images


Sourav Ganguly backs Rao’s casting; filming begins in 2026

Sourav Ganguly, who led India from 2000 to 2005 and scored over 18,000 international runs, had already hinted at Rao’s involvement earlier this year. Speaking to PTI, he said, “Rajkummar has been locked for the film. I don’t think anyone else can play me better than him.”

Sourav Ganguly Sourav Ganguly of India pictured during the 1999/2000 tour of AustraliaGetty Images


Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and produced by Luv Films, the untitled biopic will begin shooting in January 2026, with a theatrical release planned for December that year. Ganguly is reportedly involved in the script and creative development as well.

cricket biopicsrajkummar raosourav gangulyvikramaditya motwanebollywood

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