Right-handed Sampa Mandal to bowl left-arm spin in Shabaash Mithu

The right-handed actress Sampa Mandal will bowl left-arm spin for Srijit Mukherji’s Shabaash Mithu, which is based on the life of the cricket player Mithali Raj. Taapsee Pannu is playing the titular role in the film. 

Mandal, who plays former left-arm spinner Neetu David, told Cinestaan that she was selected for the role since her features match those of Neetu. 

The actress wasn’t aware that she would have to bowl left-handed until the shoot date was close. “I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra’s casting company. After my selection, I practised right-arm bowling. But two to three days before the shoot, I was told that my character has to bowl left-handed. I found it very difficult,” said Mandal. 

Mandal decided to rise to the occasion and shot for two to three days before the second lockdown. “I had to learn and I am still learning. In the days when we shot, I think I must have done well as they were saying it was a miracle to see me bowl left-handed,” she said.

The shoot was postponed because of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had our practice session in Hyderabad but it is delayed to August because of the lockdown. I have practised a lot. I have to resume my practise as there has been a gap,” said Mandal. 

This is not the first time that Mandal is playing a real character. She played the activist, dacoit and politician Phoolan Devi in Sonchiriya (2019). She was recently seen in the Vidya Balan film Sherni (2021), where she played a villager. 

Neetu has taken 41 wickets in 10 Test matches and 141 wickets in 97 one-day internationals. She is currently the chairperson of the Indian women’s cricketers’ selection committee.