Think of a biopic and you did imagine a tale about grit, determination and eventual success spread over a lifetime. But in what is touted to be the first sports biopic to be made in Gujarati, a movie will capture the journey of a sub junior martial arts gold medal winner at the national level who is just 10 years old!

The movie, that will capture the struggle of Diya Patel, a Taekwondo wonder and student of HB Kapadia school, will also have the sports star playing herself.

Patel, who is no stranger to facing the camera has been the poster girl for the Beti Bachao Campaign in Gujarat and has also played the role of a daughter in the movie Phir Usi Mod Par, which is about triple talaq.

Interestingly, Patel began her training in Taekwondo only at the age of 7 and she admits initially she did not understand why her parents wanted to put her through the grind. "But I am glad my parents persisted," said Patel.

The kid who trains under Mahendra Vankhedi was initiated into martial arts after her parents thought self-defence was the best way for her to protect herself. "We had been hearing about children being kidnapped and bad things happening to them. We wanted that irrespective of how old she was she should be able to protect herself and that is why we got her to learn Taekwondo. That was our only intention. The medals just happened," said Jignesh and Kinjal Patel her parents.

Suraj Wadhawa who plays Diya's coach in the movie is a Taekwondo trainer in real life. Interestingly, Patel said she has had no training in acting but believes that inherently all kids have an actor in them. "When you don't get ice cream you often feign tears or act as if you have been terribly hurt. That too is acting. I think kids intuitively know how to act," said the young Patel laughingly. She aspires to be a pilot, an Olympic gold medalist and an actor when she grows up.

Dinesh Singhal, the executive producer for the movie said that these days regional films like those made in Gujarati were not only recovering their costs but also earning profits. "We had to make this movie in Gujarati and the kid herself is from Gujarat," said Singhal.

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