Published: May 13, 2017, 03:23 PM (IST)
Edited: May 13, 2017, 03:23 PM (IST)
Sachin Tendulkar turned on the heat on the 22-yard pitch for 24 years. He will be back to wow his fans on celluloid when his biographical documentary hits the theaters on May 26. The trailer and first song of the film has received great response and the nation is waiting to see their charismatic batsman’s journey unfold on the 70mm screen. Talking about the movie, Sachin shared his thoughts and first reaction when the makers approached him for the film. He also stated that the famous chant ‘Sachin, Sachin’ was encouraging for him and the expectations made for best tonic. Sachin even added that actor Aamir Khan would have been a good choice for his role as he is a versatile artist. READ: Sachin Tendulkar gets nostalgic during Sachin: A Billion Dreams anthem launch
In a report published in mid-day, Sachin shared his cricketing dreams while growing up. “The first was to play for India and then chase it with a bigger dream – winning the World Cup. It took me 22 years, but I got there”, the report quoted the Master Blaster as saying. To his fans’ dismay, Sachin was not keen on making a film on himself but later got convinced. Sachin stated, “My initial reaction was no (smiles). I said I can’t act, I don’t want to act; I am a sportsperson, not an actor. So, it took them a while to convince me and to let me know I have to act. Because everything in my life has been documented, there are no made-up stories… there is no way to rewrite a script to show I have made extra runs. They (makers) felt no one knows what went on in my mind during the highs and lows [of my career]. So, we needed to show that to as many guys as possible.”
The chant ‘Sachin, Sachin’ was extremely popular during the 44-year-old’s cricketing career. The first song of the film is also a dedicated to his passionate fans who backed him from the stands during his playing days. “It was exciting and I actually liked that people had expectations from me. It’d have been terrible to walk into the middle with no one expecting anything from me. For any sportsperson, encouragement and expectations make for the best tonic”, Tendulkar said.
Sachin also shared some insights on the film. “People will get to see more than what they have seen for 24 years of me on field – my private life, my family and my friends. We dug out some really good footage that no one has seen”, added Sachin.
On being asked who he would have picked for his role, Sachin replied, “Well, whenever I have asked journalists this, they have all named Aamir (Khan) because there is direct connect. Aamir has done ‘Lagaan’ (2001 flick based on a do-or-die cricket match for a village against British Raj). He’s a great actor and a wonderful person.”
Sachin concluded by saying that he is content with his life and could not have asked for more after a successful career in the sport. “I was in the middle of action for 24 years. And the kind of farewell I received, it was really special. I’m happy with the way things are going. Few exhibition games here and there are not a bad idea. I’ve completed a full circle and couldn’t have asked for more”, he concluded.
