Indian badminton great Saina Nehwal has revealed that Shraddha Kapoor was her preferred choice to portray her life on the big screen, even though the 2021 biopic ultimately starred Parineeti Chopra.
In a recent interview with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Nehwal discussed the casting of Saina, the biographical film based on her life, directed by Amol Gupte. When asked which actress she would pick if the movie were to be remade, the Olympic medallist was quick to name Kapoor, who was originally attached to the project.
“We are still in touch and I’ve met her many times. She’s a very sweet girl,” Nehwal said of Shraddha Kapoor. “She had agreed to do the film but had to opt out due to dengue.” Kapoor, known for a string of Bollywood roles, had trained extensively for the part and spent months working on badminton skills before stepping away. Industry reporting indicates she left the project after scheduling conflicts and health issues, which opened the door for Parineeti Chopra to take on the leading role.
Chopra’s portrayal of the shuttler involved extensive badminton training leading up to the film’s release. Nehwal acknowledged her effort on set, saying, “She worked very hard and performed extremely well. I even got emotional watching the film.” While Nehwal clarified that she and Chopra “never became friends” during filming due to time constraints, she expressed appreciation for the actor’s dedication.
The 2021 biopic attracted attention on social media recently after fans noted Chopra had unfollowed Nehwal on Instagram, a topic the athlete downplayed, suggesting the actor had simply moved on to work commitments.
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