Nikkhil Advani to direct John in '1911'

Abraham's much awaited dream project 1911 has found its director in Nikkhil Advani.

1911 follows the story of footballer Shibdas Bhaduri, who captained the football team Mohun Bagan in the historic 1911 IFA Shield Final, where it defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment with a score of 2-1 to become the first Asian team to win the contest.

John, a football enthusiast and owner of ISL team NorthEast United FC, will portray Bhaduri in the film.

"What makes 1911 special is that it is not just about the coach, the players or even the game, it's also about India's freedom struggle. Like with Parmanu, the idea is to educate in an entertaining way," John said in a statement here.

Advani is thrilled to come aboard the project and said he always wanted to make a film, set in Kolkata, talking about its people, culture and heritage.

"1911 is even better because it moves beyond Bengal to encompass all of India and its history. It's a huge responsibility to tell this story right as it's almost folklore to the people of Bengal as well as it's so close to John," the director said.