Athiya Shetty To Play Footballer Afshan Ashiq In ‘Hope Solo’

Actress Athiya Shetty, who made her Bollywood debut with Hero and was then seen in Mubarakan,  will make her biopic debut with ‘Afshan Ashiq’, which is based on the life of Kashmiri footballer Afshan Ashiq.

For those who do not remember this, Kashmiri student and footballer Afshan Ashiq was given the controversial tag of a stone-pelter when a picture of her hurling a stone at security forces during protests in Srinagar went viral. The 22-year-old girl had met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti last year as she put together a team of women footballers and started training them. The biopic, titled Hope Solo, will be directed by Manish Harishankar, who has previously assisted Rajkumar Santoshi on films such as Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani, Halla Bol and Phata Poster Nikla Hero and had directed Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana , and is written by Saiwyn Quadras (known for Mary Kom, Neerja and Parmanu).

A source informed that Athiya is presently practicing football daily to step into Afshan’s shoes and has also been training as a goalkeeper besides learning Kashmiri.