Actor and former White House staffer Kal Penn will produce Stampede Ventures’ Superfan, with Penn also starring as the famously dedicated Toronto Raptors follower Nav Bhatia, reports Deadline.
“I’m speechless,” said Bhatia, whose life will be showcased in this biopic. “To have the opportunity to continue to tell my story with such esteemed producers is a dream. Then to find out Kal Penn has been brought on to play me is even more surreal.”
Bhatia fled war in India and arrived in Canada as a “penniless Sikh immigrant,” according to Complex. He endured racism and worked hard to become one of Canada’s top car salesmen and dealership owners. Basketball is such a huge part of his life that he has attended every single Raptors home game, becoming an icon himself.
He led the Raptors championship parade in 2019, was given a championship ring, and was the first fan to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame in 2020.
The Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation also sees him raising money “to build basketball courts and camps for kids here in Canada and across the globe.”
“The crowd loves him – to see what a source of pride he is for Canadians – and all basketball fans, really – makes me smile,” said Penn, who has starred in multiple shows and films including House and Harold & Kumar. “His story is one of unity, which I’m especially excited and proud to bring to life.”
The Indian American actor also served as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement from 2009 to 2011.
The release date seems yet to be determined.
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