Did you know Sushant Singh Rajput practiced Dhoni's helicopter shot 225 times a day?

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Image Credit: Getty Images (File Photo) + YouTube grab (R)

On this day two years ago, the untimely death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput handed a massive blow to the Hindi film industry and fans of the superstar. The actor, known for his hard work and talent, won everyone's heart by portraying the role of former Indian skipper and wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni on the silver screen.

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Image Credit: YouTube screen grab

Sushant became a household name in 2016 when his portrayal of the reel MS Dhoni was liked by one and all. The biopic was hugely successful, and many credited the young actor's performance as 'Dhoni' for it. The actor had committed suicide by hanging himself at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

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Image Credit: Getty Images (File Photo)

How Sushant played the role of the 2011 World Cup-winning captain in 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story' will never be forgotten by his and Dhoni's fans throughout his life. From spending over nine months with former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More to dealing with the immense strain of recreating Dhoni's brilliance on the big screen, Sushant went to great lengths to bring the character to life.

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However, one of the most challenging actions of the iconic cricketer for Sushant was replicating Dhoni's trademark helicopter shot. To excel in the role, the actor had asked the former Indian skipper's childhood coach Keshav Banerjee to teach him the famous helicopter shot.

Watch: Sushant Singh Rajput's training days during MS Dhoni: The Untold Story

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Image Credit: Instagram

Banerjee, whose role was played by veteran actor Rajesh Sharma in the movie, had in 2020 stated, "He was after me, the way Mahi used to play it, what were his facial expressions. He was so focused. Single-minded determination. That's why it came out so well. You could not tell it was not Dhoni. Today I have only memories, and I really am in utter shock."

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Image Credit: YouTube screen grab

On the other hand, Kiran More recalled that Sushant was treated like any other cricketer at the nets when he was preparing for MS Dhoni's biopic. According to reports, the actor practiced the helicopter shot 225 times a day for close to 9 months.

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"We used to have normal practice sessions. He was treated as a normal cricketer at the nets. The fast bowlers would bowl to him. We started off with a tennis ball. But there was no compromise later as he became more confident.I had to take care of his face as he was an actor. He did not have any such cricketing background. He was hit so many times on the face and body, but he never complained or gave up," said More following the actor's death two years ago.

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"I told him that he was the second person, after Dhoni, who I had seen play the best helicopter shot. He got excited. It took one-and-a-half months to master the helicopter shot. Once he got the shot right, he would play about 100 helicopter shots daily to master it. Overall, he would face 300 to 400 balls in a three-hour practice session, first while facing the bowling machine and then the bowlers. He loved batting. He would also challenge the net bowlers to get him out," More had revealed.

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Image Credit: Instagram

Sushant, who was 34-year-old at the time of his death, began his acting career with television. He debuted with the TV show 'Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil' and followed it up with Ekta Kapoor's hit show 'Pavitra Rishta', which made him an overnight star. 

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Born on January 21, 1986, in Patna, Sushant made his Bollywood debut with 'Kai Po Che!' in 2013 and later followed it up with films like 'PK', 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story', 'Kedarnath', 'Sonchiriya' and 'Chhichhore' among others. He was last seen in 'Dil Bechara', released days after he passed away.