Reliance Industries’ Indian content arm Jio Studios is teaming with Indian filmmaker Nagraj Manjule to make a Marathi-language film about India’s first Olympic medallist, freestyle wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (a.k.a. Khashaba).
Manjule is directing the biopic and will also produce through his production banner Aatpat Production, alongside Jio Studios’ Jyoti Deshpande.
Born in 1926 in Maharashtra, Khashaba won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, making him the first athlete from independent India to win an individual medal at the games.
He was the son of another renowned wrestler, Dadasaheb Jadhav, and participated in the Quit India movement, protesting against British rule, although Jio Studios didn’t reveal whether than aspect of his life would be included in the film.
“Along with entertaining the audience, this film will also introduce the audience to a brave and exceptional athlete who made India proud all over the world,” said Manjule. “My aim is to make all Indians witness his extraordinary journey through this film.”
Manjule is known for critically and commercially successful Marathi-language films including Fandry (2014), which won best debut at India’s prestigious National Film Awards, and Sairat (2017), which premiered at Berlin film festival.
Jio Studios recently announced a slate of more than 100 film and TV productions across multiple Indian languages and genres.
