Sourav Ganguly follows Sachin and Dhoni into India’s sports biopic club | Other Sports News

“The best gift ever! Can’t wait to see you play my cover drive.” This was former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s reaction after the makers of his biopic unveiled Rajkummar Rao’s first look as the left-handed batter in the upcoming film Dada.

 

The first-look poster recreates one of the defining images in Indian cricket history—Ganguly waving his shirt from the Lord’s balcony after India’s dramatic victory over England in the 2002 NatWest Series final. The celebration transformed him from an aggressive captain into a cultural icon, making it a fitting image to introduce the film.

 

With Dada, Ganguly becomes the latest Indian sporting great to receive the Bollywood treatment, joining an exclusive list that includes Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Mohammad Azharuddin, Milkha Singh, Mary Kom, Mithali Raj, Saina Nehwal, Murlikant Petkar and others whose lives have inspired films over the last decade.

Sport and cinema have long been among India’s most popular forms of entertainment, making sports biopics a natural evolution for Bollywood. While sports films existed earlier, the last decade has witnessed a surge in biographical dramas based on real athletes, allowing audiences to relive iconic sporting moments through familiar personalities. Unlike fictional stories, biopics benefit from an emotional connection, as viewers already know the achievements and struggles of the protagonists.

 

The trend gained momentum with Paan Singh Tomar (2012), based on the life of the national champion-turned-dacoit, followed by the commercially successful Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), which chronicled the life of sprint legend Milkha Singh. Their success encouraged filmmakers to explore stories beyond cricket, leading to films on Mary Kom, Sandeep Singh, Saina Nehwal, Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, Murlikant Petkar and Mithali Raj. Even Gold, though fictional, celebrated India’s Olympic hockey legacy.

Despite this broader sporting canvas, cricket remains Bollywood’s preferred subject. Films on Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Pravin Tambe and India’s 1983 World Cup triumph have enjoyed widespread attention. Cricket’s unmatched popularity, long player careers and dramatic mix of triumphs, setbacks and controversies continue to make it the industry’s most bankable sporting genre. 

Ganguly’s journey possesses every ingredient of a compelling sports drama. It begins with a dream debut—a century at Lord’s on Test debut in 1996—before charting his rise as the captain who transformed an inconsistent Indian side into one capable of winning overseas and challenging the world’s best.

Sports biopics have delivered both blockbuster successes and costly failures at the Indian box office. The biggest triumph remains Dangal, which, despite a budget of around ₹70 crore, grossed over ₹2,000 crore worldwide, becoming India’s highest-grossing sports film and proving the global appeal of such stories.

Despite mixed box-office results, sports biopics remain attractive to filmmakers because they combine familiar stories with multiple revenue opportunities.

 

Real-life athletes already have an established fan base, making marketing easier and allowing audiences to reconnect with iconic sporting moments. Their careers also naturally provide the dramatic elements Bollywood thrives on—struggles, sacrifices, setbacks, redemption and eventual success.

 

The financial model has evolved as well, with producers now relying not only on theatrical collections but also on satellite rights, music, overseas distribution and streaming platforms to recover investments, reducing overall risk.

 

At the same time, India’s growing success across the Olympics, Paralympics, World Cups and professional leagues has expanded the pool of athletes whose inspiring journeys appeal to audiences beyond cricket.