Taapsee Pannu Hails 'Inspiring' Mithali Raj for Getting Khel Ratna Award

Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu has heaped praises on Mithali Raj, who is the first-ever Indian woman cricketer to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

Taapsee will be seen playing Mithali Raj, who has the distinction of being the highest ODI run-getter in women’s cricket, in the biopic titled Shabaash Mithu, directed by Srijit Mukherjee. Taapsee on Tuesday announced that the shooting of the sports biopic has been completed.

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Posting a video of the women’s cricket team captain being bestowed the honour by President Ram Nath Kovind, Taapsee tweeted: “Just by hearing this exhaustingly long introduction of her accolades I feel she actually deserves a series made on her, not just a film.” She added: “So inspiring.”

The actress has wrapped up shooting for Shabaash Mithu. She also treated her fans to a picture of her in the film.

Read: Taapsee Pannu Starrer Shabaash Mithu to Hit Theatres on February 2022 Ahead of Women’s Cricket World Cup

Alongside the image, she wrote: “8 ki thi jab kisi ne ek sapna dikhaya tha ki ek din ayega jab cricket sirf gentleman’s game nahi hoga. Humaari bhi ek team hogi, ek pehchaan hogi … ‘Women in Blue’ Aa rahe hai hum … Jald hi … #ShabaashMithu IT’S A FILM WRAP! Get ready to cheer for the World Cup 2022! #WomenInBlue”

In translation, Taapsee’s caption reads: “I was eight when someone made me dream of the day when cricket would not be only a gentleman’s game. Women, too, will have a team, an identity. ‘Women in Blue’ are coming soon. Very soon.”

With the next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup being scheduled to be held in New Zealand in March-April 2022, and with India under Raj’s captaincy aiming to make it to the final for the third time (and win the trophy), the biopic couldn’t have been more appropriately timed.

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