Kal Penn is set to star in a new film about the Toronto Raptors’ biggest fan. According to Deadline, the Harold & Kumar star has signed on to produce and star in the biopic Superfan, which will tell the story of Nav Bhatia, a fan of the Raptors who became the first fan inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Penn will play Bhatia, who was honored with a championship ring when the team won the NBA Finals in 2019.
Bhatia became passionate about the Raptors and basketball when he came to Toronto as a Sikh immigrant. He dealt with racism and bigotry growing up but became one of the top car salesmen and dealership owners in Canada. When he became a Raptors fan, Bhatia never missed a home game. He also helps underprivileged kids from across the country attend Raptors games through education and philanthropy.
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“I’m speechless. To have the opportunity to continue to tell my story with such esteemed producers is a dream. Then to find out Kal Penn has been brought on to play me is even more surreal,” Bhatia said. “This is not something I can even dream of. He is one of my favorite actors and to know he also loves basketball is an added bonus. I’ll be teaching him all my tricks of the trade when distracting opposing players!”
“I’ve been researching and following Nav’s incredible story ever since I saw him at a Raptor’s game the year we started filming Designated Survivor in Toronto,” Penn said. “The crowd loves him – to see what a source of pride he is for Canadians – and all basketball fans, really – makes me smile. His story is one of unity, which I’m especially excited and proud to bring to life.” Superfan will be distributed and produced by Stampede Ventures. The film is still searching for a writer and director.
Penn, 44, has appeared in various movies over the last 20-plus years including all three Harold & Kumar films, Van Wilder, Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj and The Layover. He also has a long career in television, appearing in shows such as House, 24, Designated Survivor, The Big Bang Theory and most recently Clarice. Penn also worked in the White House as a staff member in the Barack Obama administration.
