 "Tahir Raj Bhasin on 83: Sunil Gavaskar gave me insights about playing him I wasn't able to gauge while prepping")
Tahir Raj Bhasin
made his debut with the 2014 film, Mardaani. While he may have many films in his kitty right now, things were not easy for him. In just seven years, the actor has managed to carve a name for himself with his brilliant acting skills. Bhasin is eagerly waiting for the release of his next film
83
. He will be seen playing the role of legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar. The film is based on India’s victory in the 1983 World Cup against West Indies. Ranveer Singh will be seen portraying the role of c
aptain Kapil Dev
, while Deepika Padukone will play his wife Romi Dev. Excerpts from the exclusive interaction are below: You are playing Sunil Gavaskar. Does it feel like a
responsibility to be playing a living legend
? It’s a film about how underdog India went on to become world champions, a milestone global moment not just in our cricketing history but also for every Indian living in any part of the world! For me, the journey started with meeting Kabir Khan and listening to the story. The decision to take on a part like this was quite emotional. It was very clear to me that the film is about an iconic cricket moment, and as an actor, I have to ensure everything is perfect and similar to history. It was a big opportunity to be a part of something like this. It’s also a responsibility but it’s exciting to be playing a sports legend in a country that breathes and lives two things – cricket and film, and we are combining both. As an actor, it brings joy to know that people want to watch it. However, there’s some level of anxiety also. How did you prepare for the role? From where did you take the reference? Tell us about your process. Did you meet Gavaskar? It was a seven-month process. It was quite challenging as I had to work on my physicality. To look like Sunil Gavaskar, I had to put on some weight. We were training with a national-level coach Balwinder Singh Sandhu. I also watched many of his past interviews, read his biography to get his body language, mannerisms right, and also understand the psychology with which he used to come on the ground. And then finally, meeting him personally – that was a fanboy moment for me. I was quoting his statistics back to him, and he was just listening patiently. He gave me insight into things that I was not able to get while watching his videos. He told me about his walk while coming to the field. He said it’s the walk of the tiger who used to come to the ground to represent India.
we all were independent actors and singers doing well in our respective fields but as soon as we wore the India uniform, we became a team.
I am excited to see it translate on screen. Any BTS moment that we would not see in the film but was special? There are many… As an actor, you live a secluded life. You give a shot and go back to the vanity. However, 83 has been unnerving for me. It was so emotional, and by the end of it, we lived like a real sportsperson. The winning moment was as emotional for us as it must have been for the real team. You once mentioned that you got a lot of rejections. What kept you going? This is the only thing I wanted to do, and there were stories that I want to tell. There has never been a plan B. I talk about rejections because people often see just the silver lining, and they forget that there’s a lot that goes into it before you ‘make it big,’ and it’s the failure that gives you the ultimate success. Do you think Mardaani changed your life? I still remember how nervous I was during the screen test. It was my first lead role, and it was as good as sitting for a board exam. It’s still new in my mind and it’s a tremendous feeling. Mardaani was just the first step towards achieving my dreams. I feel fortunate that it happened. It was almost like coming on the pitch, and hitting a six on the last ball. I just had to play to the best of my ability. You have played various characters in your film career. How has your journey been so far? It’s been an incredible ride because I debuted as an anti-hero, and then I had an opportunity to play various roles. Force 2 was an action film, Manto a period biopic,
Chhichhore
a college drama, now, 83 is a sports film. I have been fortunate to have worked with diverse directors, and learned so much about being creative, disciplined. I am enjoying playing so many diverse characters. I want to grow with every film, and want to play different roles in every project. I try to diversify as much as possible.
