His critics know him for his 'nuisance value,' but film producers in Bollywood have found Aditya Verma the perfect subject to develop a web series on a one-man army seeking to cleanse Indian cricket and bring justice to Bihar's cricketers. (More Cricket News)
Time Films LLP have signed up with Verma, the secretary of the warring Cricket Association of Bihar, to narrate his life story as a player and an official, who rebelled against the many ills that confront Indian cricket and particularly Bihar that lost its full BCCI membership in 2003-2004.
The 57-year-old Aditya Verma brought the mighty BCCI to its knees by filing a PIL in Bombay High Court in 2013 against corruption in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.
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The matter went up to the Supreme Court and in 2018, BCCI was forced to change its constitution on the basis of reforms suggested by two commissions headed by two former Chief Justices.
Verma signed a contract on August 25 to let Time Films make the series, the production of which is expected to start early next year. Script writer Sanjeev K Jha has already started work and says Verma's story is a perfect example of a man's fight to bring justice in sport.
"Verma's fearless attitude and his relentless ability to fight for the marginalised Bihari cricketer who continues to get a raw deal is really inspiring," said Jha, who has already written the script for two top web series.
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Aditya Verma's case in the Supreme Court continues to be a thorn in the flesh of the BCCI. More than 20 judges have heard the case so far and a major highlight of the many hearings was the dismissal of two BCCI presidents -- N. Srinivasan and Anurag Thakur, the current sports minister of India.
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The 2013 IPL betting and match-fixing case saw the banning of two IPL teams -- Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals -- for two seasons. Verma continues his crusade against corruption, often pointing out anomalies in the way the Bihar Cricket Association currently runs.
"I have always been a rebel. When I started playing, I was a victim of politics and was given shifts in office so that I won't be able to play," said Verma, a former opening batsman who was once shortlisted for the Bihar Ranji Trophy team but never made the cut.
Verma is famous for his fight for the common Bihar cricketer. In 2018, it was his court battle that won Bihar the right to play Ranji Trophy cricket again after being in the oblivion for 14 years.
"Unfortunately, the people who now run the game in the state are corrupt and busy making money at the cost of talented players who don't have anywhere to go. The BCCI is also quiet because people have political links and manage to survive," said Verma.
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Verma said the web series will reveal the dark under belly of Indian cricket and how the judicial system is trying hard to book people who are arrogant and power hungry.
