Fandom in India is widely divided between cinema and cricket, the two prolific professions in the country. While the game played between the 22-yards is no less than a religion, Hockey is, however, considered to be the National Game of India. In a cricket-crazy land, Shaad Ali has attempted to tell the inspiring tale of the former captain of the National Hockey Team, Sandeep Singh in his next directorial Soorma. 

To reprise Sandeep on the silver screen, Shaad went with casting Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh as the reel 'Flicker Singh.' The posters, the teaser, and the Soorma anthem have us convinced that the role couldn't have been played better by anybody else, in an exclusive interview PeepingMoon.com, Shaad Ali reveals why Diljit was the obvious choice for the biopic.

"I wanted the film to look as real and honest as possible. Diljit, Taapsee, and Angad felt just right not only because of their Punjabi-Sikh background but because it rings right, it rings true. So, it just helped me visualize the film better, the way I wanted it to see."

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On why he decided to bring Sandeep Singh's story to celluloid:

"It was not for standing out. It was a story that came to us and once a story comes, it's very difficult to put it down and not see it through. I am a fan of cricket also, I am a big fan of Dhoni, I watched him play, and I love him. I like Sachin, I liked the film made on Sachin. I think more films about sports should be made and more people should be encouraged to play them, it doesn’t matter which sport. No individual is above the sport ever. Sport is always a bigger binding force."

The film releases on July 13, 2018.