Dada first look: Rajkummar Rao recreates Sourav Ganguly's iconic jersey-waving moment; netizens have mixed reactions
Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story chronicles the extraordinary journey of the man who didn't just play the game but changed it, makers said
Rajkummar Rao recreated Sourav Ganguly's iconic jersey-waving moment at Lord's balcony in the first poster of the cricketer's biopic “Dada -The Sourav Ganguly Story” unveiled on Wednesday.
The official first-look poster for the movie was released on Ganguly's 54th birthday, July 8. The movie is scheduled to arrive in theatres next year on 14 May 2027.
The iconic Lord's balcony moment
The poster captured Rajkummar Rao in a cinematic recreation of Sorav Ganguly's famous jersey-waving moment at Lord's balcony following India's historic NatWest Trophy triumph over England in 2002.
Widely regarded as a defining image, the celebration came to symbolise a fearless new era of Indian cricket under Ganguly's leadership and remains an enduring emblem of confidence, defiance and belief, according to a release.
Sourav Ganguly shared the poster on his official X handle and said it was “the best gift ever!”
“The Best Gift Ever! Can’t wait to see you play my cover drive! #RajkummarRao,” he wrote.
About the movie
"Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story" chronicles the extraordinary journey of the man who didn't just play the game but changed it. Tracing his rise from a talented young cricketer to one of India's most influential captains, the film celebrates the grit, resilience and conviction that redefined Indian cricket and inspired an entire generation, the makers said.
"Dada- The Sourav Ganguly Story" is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane of "Lootera", "Jubilee" and "Black Warrant" fame. It is produced by Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg, presented by Gulshan Kumar, Bhushan Kumar, T-Series, and DBL, and is an Luv Films production.
How did netizens react?
Social media users had mixed reactions to the first-look poster for Dada.
“Looks like Rajkumar’s ready to bat for the nation, no shirt, just pure patriotism,” a user said. Another user commented, “Guess Rajkumar's new workout plan is ‘cricket cardio,’ swing the bat, raise the flag, and never skip leg day.”
“Looks like Rajkumar’s ready to chase runs and hearts, one shirtless pose at a time,” a netizen said. “The only topless scene you can watch with family. Also, full marks to the person who styled the chest hair with accuracy,” said another user.
A user found the timing of the first-look release immaculate, and said, “What better way to celebrate Dada's birthday than announcing the movie the fans have been waiting for? 🎬🏏 Happy Birthday, Sourav Ganguly. Your legacy continues to inspire generations.”
While other netizens said that the casting was “very poor” and complained of the poor job of the poster.
“Very poor casting....zero effort made to look and feel....not looking anything like Dada,” a user said.
Another user said, “Apart from the hairs in his armpit and body, he is not looking like DADA.”
“Ajeeb hi lg rha hai...dada wala agression nhi dikh rha..baaki movie mei dekhte hain...kya gul khilaya hai,” a netizen commented.
Another netizen said, “I'm glad we're getting a movie about Dada, but man, we need some better posters! When I tell you I could've replicated this on GIMP and it's believable, it's a problem, because I'm bad with photo editing.”