Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane has officially unveiled the first poster of Dada, the highly anticipated biographical drama based on former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly. The announcement, made on Ganguly’s birthday on July 8, also confirmed that the film will arrive in theaters on May 14, 2027.
Motwane shared the poster on Instagram with a simple birthday message for Ganguly. The artwork recreates one of the most memorable moments in Indian cricket history, showing Rajkummar Rao portraying Ganguly during his famous shirt-waving celebration from the balcony of Lord’s Cricket Ground after India’s dramatic victory over England in the 2002 NatWest Series final.
The scene remains one of the defining images of Ganguly’s career and symbolized India’s fearless new approach on the international stage. The celebration was famously seen as a response to Andrew Flintoff’s shirtless celebration during an earlier match in Mumbai.
The poster features Rajkummar Rao recreating the iconic pose while carrying the tagline, “He Didn’t Just Play The Game, He Changed It.” Rao also shared the first look on his social media, extending birthday wishes to Ganguly and expressing his excitement for the project.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the film, the poster received a mixed response from fans. While many appreciated the recreation of the historic moment, others questioned the design and whether Rajkummar Rao resembled Ganguly closely enough. Several social media users described the poster as underwhelming, with some criticizing its editing and overall presentation. Others expressed concerns about the casting choice, saying they had expected a stronger resemblance between the actor and the former cricketer.
Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and produced by Luv Ranjan under Luv Films, Dada began principal photography in April 2026. The production started at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens before moving to additional filming locations across Mumbai and London.
The film also features Tanya Maniktala as Dona Ganguly, Sourav Ganguly’s wife, while Saswata Chatterjee plays his father, Chandi Ganguly. The biopic is expected to trace Ganguly’s journey from one of India’s finest batters to a transformational captain who reshaped the mindset of Indian cricket during the early 2000s.
With the release date now confirmed, Dada has become one of the most anticipated sports dramas scheduled to hit theaters in 2027.
