Sushant Singh Rajput's Kai Po Che co-star turned IPL cricketer Digvijay Deshmukh's promise that he couldn't keep

Actor turned cricketer Digvijay Deshmukh who played a young cricketer in Sushant Singh Rajput starrer Kai Po Che is today playing in the Indian Premiere League team Mumbai Indians. The cricketer played Ali Hashmi in the film when he was all of 15 and after working Sushant on the film for six months had promised the late actor he’d meet him next after fulfilling his dream of being a professional cricketer.

Ironically, Digvijay went on to get selected in the Mumbai Indians team in the same year that Sushant Singh Rajput died. Digvijay had planned to meet Sushant after his selection but then the first lockdown struck and his promise remained unfulfilled as Sushant died in June of 2020.

Digvijay while mourning Sushant’s detah in 2020, had told Hindustan Times, “He was passionate about cricket. On the last day of shoot, I had promised him I’d not meet him till I became a decent level cricketer. This year, when I got selected to play for Mumbai Indians, I decided to meet him but then the lockdown happened and now he is no more.”

Post Kai Po Che, Digvijay who hails from Pune, had the opportunity to meet the late actor again when he was in the city shooting for M.S. Dhoni : The Untold Story. However, the cricketer decided to let the opportunity pass hoping to keep his promise. The cricketer also said he regretted not having met the actor again while he had the chance.

This real life incident is eerily similar to Digvijay and Sushant’s reel life story in Kai Po Che which is based on the backdrop of the Gujarat Riots of 2002. Sushant’s character who trains Digvijay’s Ali in the film dies and towards the end Ali is shown to be playing his first match as a professional cricketer in the aftermath of his mentor’s death.

It has been 9 years since Kai Po Che first released in cinemas marking Sushant’s transition from TV to films. The movie also starred Rajkummar Rao and Amit Sadh and was helmed by Abhishek Kapoor .