Chakda Xpress: Producer Karnesh Ssharma says Anushka Sharma was the 'obvious choice' for film

Chakda Xpress producer Karnesh Ssharma recently explained the casting choice in the movie, which is inspired by former Indian cricket team captain Jhulan Goswami's life. 

"Anushka is the obvious choice purely because the story spans across 12 years, so it needs somebody (bigger). It is a big budget film and you need a bigger actor to mount it and put it out there to justify the budget. From acting to star value, (to) reach, there is no doubt about Anushka (sic)," Karnesh told news agency PTI. 

Chakda Xpress, directed by Prosit Roy, will mark Anushka's return to screen after 2018's Zero, which also starred Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. 

The sports film is produced by Karnesh's Clean Slate Filmz which he and Anushka had founded in 2013. However, the actor recently announced that she's stepping away from the production house to focus on acting.

Karnesh also addressed the criticism that followed after Anushka's first look from the movie was unveiled earlier this year. Social media users had pointed out that the actor bore no resemblance to Jhulan and had her Bengali accent did not sound convincing either. Karnesh said that the makers are open to both good and bad feedback.

He further shared that Anushka's cricketer husband has been involved in the making as well and got the team in touch with coaches for the actor to prep for her role. Karnesh described Chakda Xpress as a story not just about Jhulan but her teammates who did not have "money and opportunity yet they played."

Chakda Xpress begins shoot in June and will be released on Netflix next year.