24 November,2020 07:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Sania Mirza
In a year when COVID-19 claimed over a lakh lives in the country, it's an undeniable fact that more people die of tuberculosis in India than of a pandemic. It was this shocking data that prompted ace tennis star Sania Mirza to make her digital debut with MTV Nishedh. "My team and I decided to do it because our voice matters. [Through this] if we can save some lives, we should do it. I play myself. We shot it virtually at my house here. My team of three assisted me, and we were guided through lighting and other technical details," says Mirza, speaking from her Dubai home.
Through the five-part fictional series, the sports star will highlight the alarming fatality rate of the disease and spread awareness about it. "TB has been a silent killer for years. There's still a stigma around the disease that holds people back from getting themselves tested. Also, due to the pandemic, this disease has become a lesser priority than ever before."
Besties with filmmaker Farah Khan, Sania Mirza has been frequently fielding acting offers from Bollywood. Even as she makes regular appearances in front of the camera for commercials and chat shows, she says she doesn't have "the acting gene" to pursue the career. "I am pretty camera-shy. I believe in never say never. But I am fairly certain that I won't turn to acting. Tennis is my passion and my career. I want to play the Olympics next year."
Though acting is off her to-do list, Bollywood assumes an important place in her scheme of things - earlier this year, the sporting icon announced her biopic with Ronnie Screwvala's RSVP Productions. The writing team is developing the script after which the cast will be locked. "We signed right before the lockdown. The idea is to revisit the emotions I have gone through - the victories and injuries. I will be involved in the project. Through the biopic, I want to say to every young girl that no one can tell them what's right or wrong for them. As women, every day, we are told that we can't do things. We need to cheer for our girls as they take a step in a direction that no one in their family has ever taken."
Mirza, who is married to cricketer Shoaib Malik and mother to two-year-old son Izhaan, asserts the biopic will be a reminder that women need not choose. They can have it all, unapologetically so! "I was told to choose between a marriage or a career; then it was a child or a career. But multi-tasking is a reality. Sportsmen have careers spanning over 15-20 years; there will be ups and downs, and often your commitment will be questioned. I have always believed in myself. My family remained my support system when I decided to make a comeback after having my baby. I had put on 26 kilos during my pregnancy, and everyone assumed I would never be fit again. But in four months, I was back in the game! I hope my determination and stubbornness shows in the film."
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