Sachin Tendulkar will soon demonstrate to Mumbai a new sweep stroke, on a pitch to be laid by the BMC.
The batting legend will be seen in one of the lead roles in a 30-minute documentary on the importance of keeping the city clean. The short film will be made on behalf of the BMC.
The civic body has appointed Asmita Chitra, a venture owned by Smita Talwalkar of the Talwalkar group, to make the film, which is expected to cost over Rs50 lakh. The BMC hopes it will inculcate better civic sense among citizens.
Tendulkar has agreed to play a role in the film, Geeta Chaddha, production controller of Asmita Chitra, said. The shooting will begin soon and the film is expected to be ready by the next financial year, Chaddha said. Marathi actor Sulekha Talwalkar will also play a role in the film.
Seven firms had shown interest in making the film. The BMC short-listed two of them - Asmita Chitra and India Infotainment. The mention of Tendulkar in Talwalkar’s film concept helped Asmita Chitra win the bid, a senior BMC officer, who did not want to be named, said.
“Tendulkar is an icon whose appeal transcends age and class,” the officer said. “He is a Mumbai boy. If he takes up the cause of a ‘Clean Mumbai’, the message will be taken seriously.”
Interestingly, Actor Aamir Khan was approached first to star in the documentary. He was unavailable due to prior commitments, and the firm then approached Tendulkar.
BMC officials and the filmmakers did not reveal much about the concept that will be used to get the message across. But officials from the BMC’s environment department said the film will show the garbage heaps at the Deonar dumping ground to make citizens understand the enormity of the task to keep the city clean. The film will talk of the difficulties faced by the BMC in collecting, segregating and treating the waste. It will then urge citizens to help the BMC to collect and dispose the waste properly, and Tendulkar’s ‘role’ will be to convince Mumbaikars to cooperate actively with the civic body, the official said.
The BMC plans to show the documentary in theatres, auditoriums, and TV channels. CDs and DVDs of the short film will be distributed to municipal and private schools and colleges.
Tendulkar was not available for comment when DNA contacted his residence.
