Taapsee Pannu & Rakul Preet in consideration for Karnam Malleswari biopic?

A day after director Sanjana Reddy and producer Kona Venkat announced a biopic on Indian weightlifter Karnam Malleswari on the occasion of her 45th birthday, a source close to the project informs a leading publication that the makers are considering either Taapsee Pannu or Rakul Preet Singh to play the titular role in the film.

Though the makers are yet to approach both the actresses, it has been learned that they are planning to rope in one of them soon. Taapsee Pannu is most likely to bag the part, considering the fact that she is already doing a couple of sports films.

“Looking at the recent line-up of sports dramas Taapsee Pannu has been associated with, she appears to be the natural choice to reprise Malleswari’s role. The makers are also looking at approaching Rakul Preet Singh, who is always open to taking up fitness-based roles,” a source says.

The untitled film will be made in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. It will be jointly produced by Kona Venkat and MVV Satyanarayana. Venkat will also double up as the writer of the biopic. The final cast and crew will be announced soon. The makers are looking at beginning production in the first half of 2021.

“This film is going to be an inspiration to the present generation. A poor girl from a remote village in Srikakulam district won the Bronze medal for India in Olympics. That is definitely a big story to narrate,” Venkat had earlier said in an interview.

Malleswari is the first and only Indian woman weightlifter to win an Olympic medal. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she won the bronze medal and made India proud.