Nawazuddin Siddiqui will reportedly be seen playing the role of a cricket coach in Kabir Khan's forthcoming film '83, which is set against the backdrop of the 1983 cricket world cup, reports Mumbai Mirror. Nawazuddin will be seen sharing screen-space with Ranveer Singh, who will be seen portraying the role of Kapil Dev in the film. The actor has been in talks with the film's team for a while now and is expected to be on board soon, stated Mumbai Mirror. When Kabir was asked if the reports about Nawazuddin being approached for the coach's role were true, the director replied: "It's too early to comment so I won't confirm or deny anything." However, during an interview last year, Kabir confirmed the news of casting Ranveer as Kapil Dev. "It's great to have Ranveer come on board as Kapil Dev, as honestly I could see no one else in the role since I started working on the script," Kabir said.
In an interview last year, Kabir talked about the project and told Mumbai Mirror: "I had no idea then that from that day on cricket in India would change forever. As a filmmaker, the journey to that win, filled with the raw energy and sheer passion of a young Indian team, is probably one of the most exciting stories I have worked on."
The untitled film is likely to go on floors this year and will be shot at real locations. The film is expected to release in August 2019.
This film will be Nawazuddin's second project with the director. He has previously worked with Kabir Khan in the 2015 film Bajrangi Bhaijaan, in which he played the role of a Pakistani reporter.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is best known for his performances in films such as Badlapur, Gangs Of Wasseypur, Raman Raghav 2.0 and Raees among others. He will be next seen in Netflix web-series Sacred Games, which airs on July 6.
