The highly anticipated cinematic treatment of Indian cricket’s most aggressive captain has finally shown its hand. On July 8, 2026, coinciding with Sourav Ganguly’s 54th birthday, Luv Films unveiled the first-look poster for the upcoming biographical drama Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story. The artwork features lead actor Rajkummar Rao stripping off his jersey to recreate the legendary, fiercely debated balcony celebration from the 2002 NatWest Trophy final at Lord’s. The studio also locked in an official release date of May 14, 2027, for its global theatrical rollout.
Ganguly himself gave the project his immediate public endorsement. Taking to social media on Wednesday morning, the former Indian captain shared the poster and called the reveal the “best gift ever” for his birthday. He specifically noted his excitement to see Rao attempt his signature cover drive on the big screen.
The creative team driving the project brings serious pedigree to the sports drama genre. The film is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, marking a highly anticipated director-actor reunion following their critically acclaimed work on the 2016 survival thriller Trapped. Produced by Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg, the cast is rounded out by Tanya Maniktala, who steps into the role of Ganguly’s wife, Dona.
By anchoring the first visual to the 2002 NatWest final, the studio is leaning directly into the defining cultural moment of Ganguly’s career. That July afternoon in London saw India successfully chase down a daunting 326-run target against England, pulled off largely by the young duo of Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif. But the lasting image of the match remains Ganguly’s spontaneous, shirtless retaliation from the Lord’s balcony.
The gesture was a direct response to English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who had performed a similar celebration after drawing a series in Mumbai earlier that same year. That specific era of Ganguly’s captaincy is widely recognized as the turning point that forged modern Indian cricket, breaking their long-held reputation as poor travelers and instilling a fearless attitude against elite teams on foreign soil.