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Having kicked off Rashmi Rocket shoot earlier this week, Taapsee Pannu says she is taking cues from Dutee Chand, Hima Dass careers for athlete act.
Pannu during her training in Pune. PPC/Tejinder Singh Khamkha
The actor credits her fitness army – gym coach Sujeet Kargutkar, track trainer Melwyn Crasto, physiotherapist Prachi Shah and nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal – for seeing her through the phase. "Sujeet's patience at my lack of doing heavy weightlifting is amazing. Melwyn has been a coach in Indian railways; he trained Farhan [Akhtar] in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag [2012]. After every day, after the strenuous workout, Prachi saves me. Munmun makes sure I am eating the right meals," she says, noting that the producers have invested deeply in her training. "It's a big scale film. The producers have monetarily and emotionally invested in me and shown such faith and patience, that I don't want to let them down."
Dutee Chand and Hima Das
Though the movie is a fictional story about a Kutch-based girl who discovers her athletic prowess, Pannu is drawing inspiration from sprinters Dutee Chand and Hima Das. "I have been observing Indian and international athletes and their running patterns, body forms and style. If it were a biopic, the approach would have been different. This is inspired by real incidents that happened to sprinters. The film touches on many aspects – from the society's response to female athletes to the politics of the sporting universe. Most of my films question the elephant in the room, and this will be no exception."
Alternating Rashmi Rocket with Loop Lapeta, Pannu is booked out for the next 6 months. "After February I start Anurag Kashyap's film and then I move to Shabash Mithu. There are a few announcements in the pipeline as well," she says, signing off.
Also Read: Priyanshu Painyuli to star opposite Taapsee Pannu in Rashmi Rocket as lead
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