'Crakk' director Aditya Datt: Scoured 200 athletes, handpicked super eight

Vidyut Jammwal in Crakk

Last week, mid-day reported that five international stunt coordinators were roped in for Crakk - Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa (Five and furious, Feb 7). It looks like Vidyut Jammwal, who is on double duty as actor-producer, has done all he can to lend authenticity to the extreme sports action film. The team has brought on board eight international athletes, who will play participants in the movie that revolves around an underground extreme sports competition where the last man standing walks away with the prize money.

Director Aditya Datt reveals, "After scouring over 200 athletes worldwide, we hand-picked what I call ‘The super eight'. There are 24 others who play integral roles in the film, each showcasing prowess in multiple sports." The eight athletes include South Africa's Alfonso Orosco, an expert in slacklining, American freerunner Kacper Lipski, China's Liana Hu, who was chosen for her command over martial arts, and Russia's Katarzyna, who is a trained Parkour artist. Tomasz Przybylik, Martin Espanola, Milsoz Jarmolowicz and Lukasz Nowak complete the octet.

In Crakk, the athletes, along with Jammwal, are seen participating in a series of deadly sports - from rock climbing to downhill mountain biking, from obstacle race to freestyle skiing. With the cast's safety being Datt's primary concern, he made them undergo extensive training so that they gain expertise in different sports before he called for action. "Vidyut and the eight athletes spent over 30 days in Poland prior to filming, honing their skills and perfecting the stunts. It was during this time that trust was built, and skills were shared," states the director. Arjun Rampal, Nora Fatehi and Amy Jackson also star in the action entertainer.