International Olympics Day: Kartik Aaryan to Priyanka Chopra, actors who played Olympians on screen
International Olympics Day: Kartik Aaryan to Priyanka Chopra, actors who played Olympians on screen
Over the years, Bollywood has paid tribute to Indian athletes by bringing their inspiring journeys to the big screen. On the occasion of International Olympic Day, let's take a look at the actors who played the roles of Olympians in biopics.
International Olympic Day is celebrated every year on June 23 to honour the Olympic spirit. Over the years, several Bollywood movies have been made which are based on the lives of Indian Olympians, showcasing their achievements and inspiring journeys. From Kartik Aaryan's portrayal of Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar in 'Chandu Champion' to Priyanka Chopra's portrayal of boxer MC Mary Kom in the movie titled 'Mary Kom'. Here's a look at some notable performances delivered by Bollywood actors in docudrama films.
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Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan was featured in the 2024 film 'Chandu Champion' where he played the role of India's first Paralympics gold medallist Murlikant Petkar. For those who don't know, Murlikant Petkar won an individual gold medal in the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany. Kabir Khan's directorial 'Chandu Champion' stars Kartik Aaryan, Vijay Raaz, and Bhuvan Arora in the lead roles. It has an IMDb rating of 7.8 and is available to stream on Prime Video.
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Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar portrayed the role of the late Milkha Singh, who was an Indian track and field athlete, in the 2013 film 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'. For those who don't know, Milkha Singh represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the docudrama 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' features Kousi Orfahli, Deepak Singh Rawat, Pawan Malhotra, Divya Dutta, and Sonam Kapoor in the lead roles.
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In the 2016 film 'Dangal', actress Fatima Sana Shaikh played the role of Geeta Phogat, who became the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for the Summer Olympics in the 55kg category in London 2012. The biographical film was directed by Nitesh Tiwari and features Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, and Sanya Malhotra in the lead roles.
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The 2021 film 'Saina' tells the story of professional badminton player Saina Nehwal. Directed by Amole Gupte, the film features Parineeti Chopra, Mukesh Agrohari, Rohan Apte, Olga Anand, and Ravi Gopal Dantury in the lead roles. In this film, Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra played the lead role of Saina Nehwal, who represented India three times in the Olympics. Nehwal won a bronze medal in her second appearance at the London 2012 Games. The film can be watched on the OTT platform Prime Video.
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Actress Priyanka Chopra played the role of famous boxer Mary Kom in the biographical drama film with the name "Mary Kom" in 2014. For those who don't know, Mary Kom became the first Indian female boxer to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal in the 51 kg category. Besides Priyanka Chopra, the Bollywood film features Darshan Kumaar, Robin Das, Sunil Thapa, Rajni Basumatary, and Bijou Thaangjam in pivotal roles. With an IMDb rating of 6.8, the film is available to stream on JioHotstar and Netflix.
