Former India captain Sourav Ganguly's biopic to be played by Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao

Dubai: Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao will be the lead actor in the much-anticipated biopic on Indian former captain Sourav Ganguly.

"Now that Dada has already said it, let me also make it official - yes, I am playing him in his biopic," Rao told NDTV.

"I am nervous... It's a huge responsibility, but it's going to be a lot of fun," he said adding that picking up Bengali speaking skills became easier thanks to his wife, actor Patralekhaa, who is Bengali.

One of India's most successful cricket captains, Ganguly, recently had endorsed Rao's casting in his biopic. "I think the right person is doing it... I'll help him with everything," Ganguly said.

He said the film will go on floors in January 2026 and is slated for a theatrical release in December the same year.

"Rajkummar has been locked for the film. I don't think anyone else can play me better than him."

The former India captain is actively contributing to the creative direction of the biopic, which will trace his remarkable rise from the streets of Kolkata to the pinnacle of Indian cricket.

This isn't Rajkummar Rao's first portrayal of a real-life figure. In the past, he has taken on roles such as human rights lawyer Shahid Azmi in Shahid, terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in Omerta, and visually impaired entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla in Srikanth.