Exclusive! Pankaj Tripathi to play Ranveer Singh’s coach in Kabir Khan’s 83

Ranveer Singh finally seems to have got his coach! If buzz is to be believed, Pankaj Tripathi has been zeroed in to play Ranveer’s coach in Kabir Khan’s 83. Nawazuddin Siddiqui was first offered the role but he had to decline due to the film’s shoot getting delayed and his commitment to other projects during the same time. Ranveer will be playing cricketer Kapil Dev in the biopic based on India’s historic victory at 1983 World Cup at Lord’s Stadium, England.

Ranveer and Tripathi had met for a shoot earlier and they both couldn’t stop raving about each other’s performances, as well as showcasing their fondness towards each other. But it was at a media interaction for Rohit Shetty’s Simmba that Ranveer had first hinted at working with Tripathi. The hit star had said that he deeply admires his work and had met him too. Ranveer had even expressed a desire to work with him and in fact let on that they might team up together soon.

And now seems like the two actors are finally teaming up for the sports drama. Besides Ranveer, the makers are in the process of putting together an interesting ensemble of actors – Saquib Salem, Jatin Sarna, Jiva, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Sahil Kahtter – to essay the roles of the other cricketers who had played alongside Kapil Dev to score the historic win. And while the filmmakers are yet to officially announce the other names Pankaj Tripathi seems to be the latest addition to the list.

Most recently, Tripathi was in news for garnering much critical acclaim for his performance in Mirzapur and Sacred Games. The actor was also seen in Rajnikanth’s Kaala, apart from Stree and Kaalakaandi among other films. The two actors belong to different segments of cinema and it will be interesting to see them team together in Kabir Khan’s ambitious biopic.