EXCLUSIVE: Mr & Mrs Mahi director Sharan Sharma reveals getting an NOC from MS Dhoni for the title, confesses, “Didn’t want him to be upset’

Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao starrer Mr & Mrs Mahi directed by Sharan Sharma is garnering rave response. However, when the film was announced, looking at the title audience thought it was related to the life of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The word ‘Mahi’ used to address Dhoni by his fans dearly is what led to the assumptions. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Bubble, director Sharan Sharma reveals how he got the Mr & Mrs Mahi title rights from MS Dhoni and how his consent sign was like an autograph for him.

Sharan Sharma on Mr & Mrs Mahi title approved by MS Dhoni

Revealing why he added MS Dhoni’s name at the start of the film, Mr & Mrs Mahi director, Sharan Sharma said, “There were a couple of reasons. The obvious is that when we were locking for a title for the film… I think the word Mahi is just so synonymous with him. We went through the correct route of getting an NOC just to use the title, because I don’t even know if it’s a requirement but we just felt that we don’t want to upset him. And I don’t want to upset him. He’s my icon. The last thing I want is for MS Dhoni to be upset about us using his name. I remember we had sent him the letter and within a day he signed it. For me that was like an autograph because his signature came. That was that.”

He continued, “Also, I think a lot of what I’ve learned about life and my observations of life, about the importance of the process being the prize, is from him. I think that man is just a great enigma leader with a great amount of wisdom and life skills and life lessons that he’s constantly giving. I’ve absorbed a lot from him. I think at some level, his mentality and his philosophy has deeply shaped me as a person and that’s also somewhere the foundation of the thought of the film. So it felt like a right fit and I would get his name in the beginning of a film with my name. It’s a big deal.”

About the movie

It’s a love story with a blend of cricket, where a husband coaches his wife to achieve her dreams of becoming a cricketer.

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