Things couldn't be going better for Sammir Dattani. Even as his Kannada film "Amruthdhare" is a hit, the actor has been signed for "Marathon" in which he will portray a football player who loses a leg due to cancer.

Said Sammir: "It's a dream role. And since I'm a very outdoor person and a footballer, I'm looking forward to playing my character who loses his leg and yet runs the (Mumbai) marathon.

"Not too many films on sports are made in India. I'm glad, especially since I was the first choice for the part."

"Marathon" tells the story of a footballer on the road to emotional, spiritual and physical redemption. He is determined to assert his existence and runs the Mumbai marathon on one leg.

Sanjay Suri had also coveted the part.

"It's the best role in the ensemble piece, no doubt about that. I told the producer, Vicky Tejwani, to give me that role and I'd have jumped at it. But Vicky and his director, Nisha Chennani, wanted me to play the overweight industrialist who runs to flab-freedom (now being played by Bikram Saluja)," Sanjay said.

Vicky Tejwani endorses Sammir's presence in "Marathon".

"I wanted someone young innocent and untried on screen. Sammir fitted the bill perfectly mainly for his vulnerable face, which the role demanded."

Director Nisha Chennani said: "Sammir is young, lean and athletic. He has the right physical attributes to look like a soccer player."

Sammir, who is currently filming Madhur Bhandarkar's "Corporate" with Minissha Lamba, intends to put in an intense period of training for his role in "Marathon".

After "Marathon", Sammir is likely to start shooting for Anant Mahadevan's "Do Dooni Chaar", where he plays a double role.

Said Sammir: "Actually 'Marathon' is also kind of a double role for me. The character has two lives. One before and one after he loses his leg. It's a life-changing experience."