Documentary about Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj gets the green light

WATCH: Prakash Amritraj interviews his father, Vijay, after he was awarded the Golden Achievement Award jointly by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF.

The trailblazing story of Vijay Amritraj is just as impactful now as it was during the Indian tennis star’s peak in the 1970s and 1980s—and now it will hit the big screen with an upcoming documentary in the works.

The film will be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan, with Amritraj’s son Prakash—a Tennis Channel presenter—working as one of the co-executive producers.

“For so long people of color have been told ‘you can’t,’ and ‘you won’t,’ Vijay has always been a symbol of ‘I can’ and ‘I will.’ And he did it keeping God in his heart, and his family and India on his back,” said Prakash in a statement.

“He’s been my greatest example of what it is to be a man and a hero. It’s a dream to bring his story to the screen with Calabasas Films and the brilliant Sami Khan at the helm.”

The documentary will span the 68-year-old’s tennis career and beyond, starting with his childhood in India to his ATP exploits—Amritraj lifted 15 ATP tour-level trophies, a figure that is still the most by an Asian singles player. A top player in the '70s and '80s, he scored victories over Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, and John McEnroe in their primes.

It will also cover his post-tennis humanitarian work and acting career. Amritraj scored roles in 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy and TV shows like What A Country! and The Last Precinct. He was also a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa, and later worked as United Nations Messenger of Peace (2001-06).

“Vijay Amritraj was a legend and inspiration in my house growing up and it’s an absolute honor to help tell his story,” said director Sami Khan. “Amritraj was a pioneer for South Asian athletes, and I know our film will have urgent resonance today.

“Kapil [Mahendra], Paul [Beahan], Prakash, and Dhaval [Desai] are amazing partners on this journey, and I can’t wait to share Amritraj’s tale with audiences soon.”

The news comes two weeks after Amritraj was awarded the Golden Achievement Award jointly by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF, for his impact on the sport as a player, promoter and humanitarian.