Sourav Ganguly’s birthday gift: Rajkummar Rao recreates iconic Lord’s shirt-waving moment for Dada biopic

The shirt is back, but this time, it belongs to Rajkummar Rao.

On Sourav Ganguly’s birthday, the makers of Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story unveiled the first look poster of the much-awaited biopic, recreating one of Indian cricket’s most unforgettable celebrations.

The poster comes days after behind-the-scenes videos of Rajkummar Rao filming for the former India captain’s biopic surfaced online, giving fans their first glimpse of the actor stepping into Ganguly’s shoes.

In the first look, Rajkummar is seen standing on the balcony of Lord’s Cricket Ground, holding a jersey high above his head, with the Indian tricolour in the background. The image recreates Ganguly’s legendary shirt-waving celebration after India defeated England in the 2002 NatWest Series final.

The moment, etched into cricket history, came after India pulled off a thrilling two-wicket victory over England at Lord’s. Ganguly’s celebration was also seen as a response to England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who had removed his shirt and celebrated at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium earlier that year.

With an intense expression and a triumphant pose, Rajkummar’s first look attempts to capture the emotion, aggression and swagger that defined Ganguly’s famous celebration.

The poster was unveiled on Wednesday as Ganguly celebrated his birthday. Rajkummar Rao also shared the first look on his Instagram Stories, wishing the former cricketer.

“Happy Birthday our dearest Dada. @souravganguly #Dada #DadaTheSouravGangulyStory,” he wrote.

Rajkummar Rao steps into Ganguly’s world

Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story marks Rajkummar Rao’s portrayal of one of India’s most celebrated cricket captains.

The film follows the journey of Ganguly, whose career was defined by his fearless leadership, memorable performances and his role in transforming Indian cricket’s attitude on the international stage.

Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the biopic is produced by Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg. It is presented by Gulshan Kumar, Bhushan Kumar, T-Series and DBL, and produced under the banner of Luv Films.

Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story is scheduled to release in theatres on May 14, 2027, during the extended Eid holiday weekend.