The film will inspire other athletes like me: Mariyappan Thangavelu

Biopics on sportspersons have been the rage last year with Dhoni: The Untold Story and Dangal proving to be huge hits. Azhar was another sports biopic that was released which fared well at the box office. Now, we will be seeing the story of the Paralympic gold medallist, Mariyappan Thangavelu’s story unfurl on the silver screen. The first look of the film was launched by none other than Shah Rukh Khan, and we hope that the film, being directed by Aishwaryaa Dhanush in Tamil, will also be dubbed in Telugu or Hindi as the tale of the man who got the world to notice him is truly an inspiring one.

In a candid chat with DC, Mariyappan expresses his excitement about the project, how it materialised and what it would mean for young athletes like him.
“I think this film will inspire other athletes and sportspersons like me, who are from rural backgrounds. In that way, I really feel happy about this project,” says Mariyappan, who is a native of a village near Salem in Tamil Nadu.

He adds, “The makers approached me two months ago to tell my story through a film, but the contract has not been signed yet. I have been given a date to come to Chennai for the formal proceedings.”

The other pivotal part of the movie will be about how Mariyappan’s mother shaped him as an athlete and as a person.

When probed if the film will bear some fictional elements to it, he affirms, “No. It will only be my life story.”

The other exciting news for Mariyappan, a fan of Rajinikanth, is that he has been told that he might get a chance to meet the superstar soon — “I’m a fan of Thalaivar and I would be delighted if I meet him.”

He is now busy with his training and shares with us his future goals — “I am now aiming to win medals in the forthcoming Asian Games, Olympics and World Championships.”