A sporty Mumtaz on the Maidan. Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray; Hair & Make-up by Suman

From observing random people on the road to watching a lot of films based on sportspeople, Mumtaz Sorcar is doing all she can to get into the gear of an athlete for Bappaditya Bandopadhyay’s next film, tentatively titled Kolkata 2012.

“The first thing Bappada told me after offering the role was that I must learn to sit on the floor and eat because in the film I play a Muslim girl from Metiabruz who belongs to a needy family and fights it out to survive in a field primarily ruled by men,” said Mumtaz, now struggling to balance work and family time.

“My sister (Maneka) is tying the knot on May 2; it’s the first wedding in the family and there is a lot of work to be done. I will also start shooting for Anjan Das’s Life in a Zero from next week,” she added.

Though Bappaditya is busy with the release of Elar Char Adhyay (May 9) starring Paoli Dam, Indraneil Sengupta and Vikram, he has started the pre-production for Kolkata 2012.

“There are seven stories that will run parallel in the film, but all the stories are connected. It’s a very interesting film with some interesting actors. Rahul plays an important role,” said Bappaditya.

So, what’s the film about? “It’s a love story with a thriller angle” is all Bappaditya will reveal.