83: Pankaj Tripathi has replaced Nawazuddin Siddiqui in THIS role

Actor Pankaj Tripathi will play PR Man Singh, manager of 1983 World Cup-winning cricket team, in Kabir Khan’s biographical drama, '83', based on India’s 1983 cricket World Cup victory, produced by Madhu Mantena, Vishnu Induri and Kabir Khan.

For long, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s name was being discussed for this character. But after Thackeray, Nawaz wasn’t keen on signing a real-life story that has too many other characters.

“It is evident that no one would want to play a part in a story like ’83 where Ranveer Singh is going to be the main guy. Also, Man Singh’s character is not a very big one in the context of the film. It is better that they get a good actor with a decent star appeal in that character,” says a trade expert.

Pankaj says he was always inspired and impressed by Kabir’s films. “He is one of my favourite directors and we met a couple of times but never got an opportunity to work together. Then one day, he called me to narrate the story of '83' and at certain points, it made me tear up,” Pankaj Tripathi reminisces.

 

 

 

 

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on Feb 6, 2019 at 9:32pm PST

The actor admits that he had not watched the final match in which India beat team West Indies by 43 runs at Lords.“I must have been around eight or nine at the time but I did read about the win in the papers. It’s an inspiring story and I leapt at the opportunity to be a part of the film,”Pankaj said. 

Tracing the historic victory of 1983 world cup, Kabir Khan's upcoming directorial will star Ranveer Singh as the former captain of the Indian Cricket Team Kapil Dev. '83' would be Ranveer Singh's first trilingual film to be made in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film will be shot at real locations and will be going on floors early next year.