Sushant Singh Rajput to play paralympian Murlikant Petkar next

Sushant Singh Rajput is gearing up to be a vital part of yet another sports biopic, after having starred in the hit M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. The actor is set to star in an untitled movie based on the life of the physically disabled army man-turned-sportsperson, Murlikant Petkar.

The athlete had won India a gold medal at the Common-wealth Games in 1970 and at the Paralympics in Germany, in 1972. Originally a boxer, Petkar had switched to swimming, as well as participated in games like table tennis and shot put.

Sushant says that he was immediately attracted to the sportsman’s story. “The minute I heard his story, I was on,” he says. “I wanted to do it without a second thought. What an inspiring story! After playing Dhoni, I’m looking forward to playing Petkar, who never allowed his physical hurdles to stand in the way of his dreams. I like playing characters who dream big.”

The enormously dedicated actor lost on precious time preparing for Paani, a project that never took off. “For nine months I signed nothing new, as I was preparing for Shekhar Kapoor’s Paani. And so what if the movie didn’t get made The discussions and conversations I had with Shekhar were invaluable; I cherish every minute I spent with him,” he smiles.

“Now, I’m working on four new projects, including Dinesh Vijan’s Rabtaa, Homi Adajania’s Takdum, and India’s first space movie, Chanda Mama Dur Ke,” Sushant signs off.