Hyderabad: Filmmaker Amole Gupte on Monday said he is relieved that his upcoming ambitious project Saina, a biopic on ace badminton player Saina Nehwal, is ready for a theatrical release after almost getting shelved multiple times in the past. The director, however, dodged queries regarding Shraddha Kapoor's exit from the film.
The project was first announced in 2017, with Shraddha attached to play the titular role. While the preparations were in full swing, Saina hit a roadblock when Kapoor bowed out of the project. In 2019, actor Parineeti Chopra came on board to play the part.
At the trailer launch, also attended by Chopra, when Gupte was asked the reason behind Kapoor's departure from the film, the director said he cannot talk much as he has recently recovered from COVID-19.
"What did you say? I couldn't hear. I can't answer this question, I am shivering," he quipped and asked to move on to the next question.
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During the trailer launch, Gupte also acknowledged the support of producer Bhushan Kumar, who held on to the film even when it was heading to be put on the back burner.
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"I cannot forget the solid, rock like support of Bhushan Kumar. The film was about to be shelved four times. He would ask me, 'Don't we have to (make the film)? I'm here.'
"That's the strength of the man who stood behind me. Otherwise we wouldn't have reached this (stage) today," the director told reporters.
The story of Nehwal's rise as a girl from a middle class family in Haryana to becoming the World No 1 badminton player was fascinating, the director added.
Saina is scheduled to be released on March 26. The film also stars Meghna Malik and Manav Kaul.
