Ajay Devgn will play Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim in an upcoming film, Mumbai Mirror reported. The sports drama will be produced by Zee Studios, Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla and Joy Sengupta and directed by Amit Sharma (Tevar, Badhaai Ho). Saiwayn Quadras (Mary Kom, Neerja) will collaborate with Ritesh Shah (D-Day, Airlift) to write the screenplay and dialogue.
Rahim was the Indian football team’s coach and manager between 1950 and 1963. Under his leadership, India became the first Asian country to reach the semi-finals of the Olympic Football tournament in Melbourne in 1956. Rahim also coached the Indian team to victory in the Asian Games in 1951 and 1962, and the Jakarta games in 1962. He died on June 11, 1963.
“When my partners Akash and Joy brought me the true-life story of Syed Abdul Rahim, I was surprised to learn that not many are even aware of this unsung hero and the achievements of India’s great team which had heroes like Chunni Goswami, PK Banerjee, Balaram, Franco, Arun Ghosh and many others,” Boney Kapoor told Mumbai Mirror.
Devgn is starring in a string of biopics. He will play the ancient Indian scholar and political strategist Chanakya in a film directed by Neeraj Pandey as well as Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare.