A Bollywood film shoot has unexpectedly found itself at the centre of a cricket controversy in England, with Rajkummar Rao‘s upcoming Sourav Ganguly biopic being cited during a disciplinary case involving Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

The controversy concerns the playing surface at Grace Road, where Leicestershire hosted Glamorgan in a County Championship match in August. The pitch produced repeated instances of uneven bounce, eventually leading to a significant punishment for the English county.

The connection to the Ganguly biopic came after Leicestershire’s head groundsman identified an unscheduled filming event at the venue as one of several factors that made pitch preparation difficult.

What happened at Grace Road?

Leicestershire played Glamorgan at Grace Road from August 20 to 23, with the hosts winning the match by 42 runs. However, the victory was subsequently overshadowed by concerns over the quality of the pitch.

The match referee recorded 43 instances of uneven bounce, with cracks on the surface contributing to unpredictable movement for the batters. The Cricket Regulator later charged Leicestershire with preparing a pitch that did not meet the required standards.

During the disciplinary proceedings, Leicestershire head groundsman Callum Lewin pointed to several circumstances, including extremely hot weather and a Bollywood filming event held at the ground four days before the match.

According to Lewin’s account, the filming meant he could not carry out his normal work on the pitch or cover it during the event. The shoot reportedly lasted one day.

How Rajkummar Rao’s Ganguly biopic entered the picture?

The filming was for Dada: The Sourav Ganguly Story, the upcoming biopic starring Rajkummar Rao as the former India captain.

The movie is being directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, with Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg among the producers. The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on May 14, 2027.

Ganguly’s story has naturally required the production team to recreate important moments from his playing career, including scenes associated with his time in England. The Grace Road shoot was part of that effort.

Ironically, the filming location became part of a cricket-related disciplinary case only days after the production team had left the venue.

While Leicestershire cited the filming as one factor affecting its preparation, the Cricket Discipline Panel did not accept it as sufficient mitigation.

The panel concluded that the club’s approach to preparing the pitch was unreasonable. The filming was considered during the proceedings but was ultimately rejected as an explanation for the poor surface, particularly because the event lasted only one day.

Leicestershire were subsequently hit with a 27-point penalty and a £5,000 fine. The punishment included the removal of the 19 points earned from their victory over Glamorgan, along with an additional eight-point deduction. A further eight-point penalty was suspended until the end of the 2027 season.

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Leicestershire left fighting for survival

The penalty has serious consequences for Leicestershire’s season. The club was pushed to the bottom of the Division One standings and now faces a battle to retain its place in the top tier.

Leicestershire have indicated that they are reviewing the disciplinary decision and considering their available options, with an appeal possible within the stipulated period.

For Ganguly’s biopic, meanwhile, the controversy is an unusual chapter in what has otherwise been a much-anticipated cricket story.

Rajkummar’s portrayal of Ganguly has already generated considerable interest, particularly after the film’s first look recreated the former India captain’s iconic shirt-waving celebration at Lord’s following the 2002 NatWest Trophy final.

What began as an attempt to recreate cricket history on screen has therefore become linked to a real cricket controversy in England. The disciplinary panel’s decision makes one thing clear: while the Ganguly biopic shoot was cited as one of the circumstances surrounding the pitch, Leicestershire ultimately remained responsible for ensuring the playing surface met the required standards.

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