Shahid Kapoor, who was last seen in the hugely successful period film, Padmaavat (2018), is teaming up with well-known filmmaker Raja Krishna Menon for the first time for a sports-based film. We have learnt from sources that the movie will start rolling from the month of December.
Shahid, who is known for getting into the skin of his characters, will be training intensively for a period of three months under a professional boxer as part of the preparation for his role in the movie.
“Shahid will begin the prep for Raja’s film simultaneously with the prep for his other film, the Hindi remake of Arjun Reddy (2017) helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Both films require him to look lean and train in action. Raja’s team is currently on the lookout for a professional boxer who will train Shahid for the part. They are also looking for an actress to play his leading lady,” a source reveals.
Director Raja Krishna Menon confirms the same, saying that the training will bring authenticity to Shahid’s character on-screen. “Yes, Shahid will be training for at least three months to portray the role of a boxer authentically on screen. He is a trained dancer and is nimble on his feet which will come in handy for this film,” he said.
Shahid is currently shooting for his upcoming film, Batti Gul Meter Chalu. After wrapping up the Shree Narayan Singh directorial, the Haider (2014) actor will start preparations for the Arjun Reddy remake.
“After the Batti Gul Meter Chalu dates got postponed, the schedules of his other films got pushed around too but Shahid is making up for it by working extra hours. Once back from the Uttarakhand schedule in Tehri and Dehradun of Batti (Gul Meter Chalu) in mid-June, he starts prepping for Arjun Reddy that goes on the floors soon after,” adds the source.
His time on Strictly Come Dancing also led him to Gemma Atkinson, with whom he later started a familyGetty Images
