Yesterday, Bollywood Hungama revealed that the Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tamannaah Bhatia starrer V. Shantaram biopic has been pushed to 2027. The film will now go on floors in April next year, with the makers planning the schedule in a way that will allow the team to complete the outdoor sequences first and utilise the monsoon period for interior shoots.
With the V. Shantaram biopic pushed ahead, director Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande has shifted his focus to a new project. Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, Deshpande has revealed that he will next direct Kambli, a ZEE5 series based on the life of former Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli. The show will be produced by Ravi Bhagchandka’s 200NotOut Productions, the banner behind the acclaimed Sachin Tendulkar documentary Sachin: A Billion Dreams.
“I started writing Kambli in 2019. I began writing Kambli and V. Shantaram together. Ravi Bhagchandka, the producer, has been with me all throughout, and we are hoping to surprise people with our take on Kambli. It is a human story and not a sports film,” reveals the director.
Deshpande originally envisioned the project as a Marathi feature film, but as he delved deeper into the former cricketer’s life, he realised that only a series format could do justice to his story. “When I studied his life, there was so much material and so much drama that it’s impossible to encapsulate all of that in one film. I think the series in Hindi will also help his story travel wider,” he explains.
The casting for the show has not been finalised yet, but the makers are looking for a fresh face who bears a close resemblance to Kambli. The aim is to treat the cricketer’s life and personality with sensitivity and realism. Shooting timelines have not been locked yet, but the makers are targeting a November 2026 start, with plans to complete the shoot in one go over three to four months. Deshpande will move on to V. Shantaram once this project is wrapped.
Kambli will chronicle Vinod Kambli’s remarkable and turbulent journey from his early emergence as one of the country’s most promising young batting talents to the personal and professional challenges that altered the course of his career. It will trace a story beyond the headlines, exploring a life filled with immense promise, unforgettable achievements and personal struggles.
