It’s not unfounded for directors to be replaced mid-project. By the time Srijit Mukherji came on board to helm Shabaash Mithu—the biopic on Indian cricketer Mithali Raj—not only was the script locked but an entire schedule was wrapped up under the tutelage of filmmaker Rahul Dholakia. While the footage was later scrapped, the vision was set, but that didn’t deter Mukherji, who believed he brought his own love for the sport to the film. “I have witnessed how her [Mithali Raj] cricket has evolved over the years, and I have read extensively on the sport,” said the Begum Jaan director, who played the sport through university.

Srijit Mukherji and Mithali Raj