Arab News

DUBAI: “83,” a film directed by Indian filmmaker Kabir Khan will have its world premiere at the upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival, set to take place from Dec. 6-15 in Jeddah.

The film will close out the festival’s inaugural edition on Dec. 15 ahead of its theatrical release on the 24th.

The premiere will be attended by cast and crew, including the director and Bollywood star Deepika Padukone, the captain of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, Kapil Dev, alongside Mohinder Amarnath, vice-captain of the team and legendary cricketeer Kris Srikkanth.

“I’m beyond excited to unveil “’83” at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia is a fantastic opportunity for filmmakers in India and across the world,” Khan said in a statement. “To go on this journey, and to bring the story to screen with legends, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and cricket icon Kapil Dev was like winning the world cup for me.”

Starring Ranveer Singh, “83” tells the true story of Indian athlete Kapil Dev (Singh) who led the country’s cricket team to its first-ever World Cup victory in 1983 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London against the West Indies. 

According to a release, actors trained for months with the real cricketers they were portraying in order to understand the nuances of the bat-and-ball game that originated in east England.

Edouard Waintrop, Artistic Director of the film festival said: “‘83 is such a monumental film that it will capture the public imagination, in Jeddah and across the world. A true celebration of one of the greatest underdog stories in international sporting history, it continues to inspire generations of young people, and the incredible Hindi-language film is sure to do the same. We are thrilled to host the cast and crew, as well as sporting icon Kapil Dev at the Red Sea International Film Festival for one of the most anticipated films of the year.”