Arjun Kapoor. (Right) Kapil Dev holding the 1983 World Cup trophy

Whether one was a witness to the moment or not, the memory of Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup trophy at London’s Lord’s stadium in 1983 is etched in the mind of every Indian. It’s surprising that in a time when fact is picked over fiction by scriptwriters, and biopics are the flavour of the season, India’s first historic win on a global platform hadn’t caught the fancy of Bollywood directors. That is until now.

Filmmaker Kabir Khan is set to create a cinematic adaptation of team India’s first World Cup win, 35 years after the men in blue defeated West Indies. A source tells mid-day, “A mammoth event is being planned to announce the film on September 27. The makers hope that the Indian players who brought the cup home will grace the occasion.”

Former secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, and manager of team India during the 1983 World Cup, PR Man Singh tells mid-day that he will accompany the 14-member team to the Mumbai do.

Kabir Khan

The news has already piqued the attention of industry folk, with rumours about the casting having created a buzz. Although Ranveer Singh and Hrithik Roshan’s names are being tossed around, it appears that Arjun Kapoor, fresh of the success of his last release, Mubarakan, is emerging as strong contender for the part of Kapil Dev, then captain of the team. An official announcement is expected at the event.

Tentatively titled World Cup 1983, the film is being jointly produced by Phantom Films and Vishnu Vardhan Induri, founder and managing director of the Celebrity Cricket League. It will be written by National Award-winning director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan.

READ MORE: Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor to take on Virat Kohli & Co

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