I reached by train from Delhi after playing badminton, nationals. I
took my first flight after becoming an artist before that it was trains
That was the age when you would buy the jersey. You would wear it. There was a cola
company that had come out with a blue cola at that time. Like you would buy that blue cola
and watch the match that was the level of enthusiasm so that heartbreak I remember very clearly
I still remember that I sobbed that day because I really wanted that team to win. With Sehwag
there, with Sachin sir there, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, everybody. I really wanted that
team to win. It was heart breaking I was at home
watching a match with my father and didn’t even eat that night
So the weather looks clear and it’s a good pitch to bat on so let’s start the interview with the team of 83
So firstly Tahir, you play Sunil Gavaskar in the film, the Little Master and you know when
we watched your performance in the film there is an amount of calmness that you have
brought to the character and you look, the smile that you have is very resemblant like it is
very similar to Sunil Gavaskar. Did you ever imagine yourself
to you know play this role when Kabir came to you first?
No. Never in my wildest dream had I imagined that. I am not from a sporting background like
a lot of the other people in the cast and so it was A, intimidating to be in a sports film and
second to a legend, a living legend like Sunil Gavaskar. It was a responsibility and exciting at
the same time. Everyone’s worked really hard, we had about anything between 7 months to a
year training period and to go from learning a professional stance to learning how to bat like
Sunil Gavaskar. And not only bat, its everything from mannerism to the smile like you
mentioned. Also what was particularly challenging was he was I think after the colonel he
was the second most senior player or they were contemporaries, I feel and as actors we are all
pretty much the same age. In fact, in birth years but as experience there were many people
who were way more senior than we were. To play senior to them is where the calmness and
gravitas comes from because you have to bring someone who has seen a decade of victories
and records being set and to be a part of a tournament like this
And Saqib when you play a character based on real life
Saqib, say it from the epiglottis
You played like whenever we play a character based on real
life we take something from that what was your biggest takeaway from this character?
The calmness. The zenness of Mohinder Amarnath and the smile I think I really worked on that
smile because I don’t smile much on screen, I don’t find it very comfortable so and I wasn’t
easy with myself and I was trying to smile like Jimmy so these are the little takeaways that I
had and I had the red hanky with me, its still with me so these are my takeaways
And Ammy for you, you know you made your debut with, you made your acting debut Bhuj
and now you are doing 83 which is touted as the biggest film of the year.
How does it feel you know doing two back-to-back films with an A list setup?
Its really nice. In the lockdown my two films released in Punjabi. Like I had said in the
previous interviews, since I was a child, I always wanted represent my country. Be it army,
be it cricket team. It didn’t work out that way but through the medium of films it worked out
and that too with such huge stars. Thanks brother. Yes. I found such great brothers, friends.
Films will happen now, it’s just the start and it’s a great film. We have seen it, have you? yes. Oh, very good
And Adinath, could you tell us something about your journey
in this film? You play Dilip Vengsarkar who is again a legend of course so
Well, the journey started with a rejection actually. So I had gone to Mukesh Chhabra office, I
had just returned from a shoot. I was shooting in the interiors of Maharashtra, I had tan, I had
a moustache, I had lost 10 kilos for that character and I came to Bombay and I got a call. I
kept getting regular calls for auditions for Ads and whatever web series, films and all so I
went for the audition, it was for an AD film. I went there and there was Vaibhav, in
Chhabra’s office and he was like, what is this? This will not suit the AD. I am sorry we will
not be able to do the AD test, we need a clean shave and you are tanned and all. Okay fine.
And I was about to leave and he was like one minute Adi, I think this get up of yours I think
might suit something we are casting for. What? Sit. So he took me to a cabin, I sat there. He
brought his phone and he showed me the clip of Dilip Vengsarkar talking on the stage on
YouTube and I saw that link and I am like okay. So he was like can you emulate what he is
doing and give the test. I was like okay, fine. But what is it for? So he is like this is a film
called 83 which Kabir Khan is directing and Ranveer Singh is playing Kapil Dev and I am
auditioning you for Dilip Vengsarkar. I am like, what? Are you serious? It’s a huge film. So
then I took 10-15 minutes, gave the test and I went home. We keep giving a lot of test like
that, we don’t keep hopes. Sometimes it happens, most of the times nothing happens. So I
went home, back to my work, regular and I had forgotten about it. And then I got a call from
Chhabra’s office and they say, Adi, what are you doing tomorrow? Are you available
tomorrow? I thought some other test, some audition, new AD film or some film test. Yes, I
am there. Why? Kabir Khan wants to meet you. Kabir Khan wants to see me? I got the part?
He goes, looks like you got the part. That was the moment for me then the tension you know
meeting Kabir Khan, such a big director for the first time. I did a bit cardio in the morning,
tried to look fresh. I saw the videos of 83, read a bit of Wikipedia and went and met Kabir sir.
He was like a dream man. He was like a friend he was talking to me; we were talking for
about an hour. He narrated me the entire story, gave me the narration of the character in
detail, told me about other characters. It was like a great conversation I had and then at the
end of it he just put his hand and like hey Adi, welcome
onboard. That’s how it started. I was on cloud number 9
And Chiraj you know you play your father in the film. What
was the biggest challenge of playing this role?
The responsibility. I think representing him and since I was a kid I have been seeing people
going crazy about him and his innings and his shots so I didn’t want to spoil his name by
doing something that you know was not right because nowadays you have all the clippings on
YouTube so immediately people compare so that was the biggest challenge and I don’t play
cricket. I have never played cricket so I had to learn from
scratch and you have seen the film so I hope
Yes, there is a certain amount of flamboyance your character has which
So that is in the DNA so I didn’t have to work on that so much
We call him Samraat. He is the actual Samraat of the team. He is the king of the team
And Dhairya for you, how was it like to be a part of this film you know before you know you
have so many films lined up after this with Dharma and all this so how was it?
How many films have you signed Dhairya?
None that I know of. It’s a big surprise for me as well. I hope your words come true.
But how was it to play Ravi shastri in this film?
It’s a big privilege to be part of historic chapter in the history of the nation. In the history of
the game and you just not playing anybody you are playing an iconic cricketer, a legend who
is so well known and his name is marinated in Indian cricket so it’s a big responsibility and
an opportunity that I just loved diving into and exploring it and I hope I have done some
justice to big name that I am representing and playing on screen
And Sahil for you play cricket in real life as well. So what was
the challenge of playing a wicket keeper in over here?
But you play
Now it will be more but they will call me for keeping. But the challenge was that everyone
does bowling, batting but a very few do wicket keeping so for that I would like to thank Ballu
sir. And when this film is made, a lot of people were in shorts but this legends was in Lords
so I really wish and I really hope that people watch it because this is just the toenail of
challenge that we saw as compared to them but still we got a chance to be a part of such a
huge film, make our debuts in Bollywood and leave our mark
in Indian cinematic history that’s huge in itself.
And you play Kirti Azad in the film, what were your
interactions with Kabir sir about the character like and what was the biggest takeaway for you?
Many actually but after first meeting with Kabir sir was, I was full of nervousness obviously
meeting him and but as the person he is, he comforted me, he made me feel very at ease,
narrated the script and you know the character and the first he told me was you know Kirti sir
is very, very confident you know, extremely confident of himself, very chilled out. He said
you just have to bring out that fun side of yours, you know he enjoys banter, fun and working
hard and the takeaway was to you know to work very hard and also enjoy life and take it
easy. Like Kirti sir he says, I did my research and ask him many questions, emotional
questions, this, that and he said Dinkar, one line. I am a chilled-out guy. I am a cool dude.
That’s all. Have fun, pull a leg, live in the moment and that’s it. The experience of 100 days in
UK and then another 35 days here in Bombay, 6-7 months and training before that, this
process was extraordinary, very, very special which only a few of us got. The 14 of us are
amongst, touchwood, how I see it are representing these 14 legends who were chosen from
our country in 1983 to represent our country and now from 130 crore we are the 14
representing so I mean you know what better gift than this and it’s a amazing film, amazing
experience around. Very, very thrilled and extremely honoured to represent legend like Kirti sir
Perfect and you know before we wrap up a quick rapid fire
So what was the biggest challenge for you to play your character in the film?
Sir, I will tell you one thing, I am actually very proud, really honoured to just be a part of this
huge film and for me coming from Chennai and landing out here, seeing my face on the
poster in itself is a very big deal for me right now. So yeah
Okay. So before we wrap up a quick rapid fire with everyone. I will say some iconic
moments of Indian cricket apart from the 1983 World Cup
win and you guys can just say what were you doing at that point of time
So we will start from here. First one India v/s Australia test match at Eden Garden
I don’t follow cricket a lot. Didn’t follow test cricket as a kid
He asked Adi
So what was I doing when? Do you remember like what are your memories like with that day?
I think I was watching it at home with my dad. Dad was a
huge cricket fan and yeah so that’s the memory I have
Tahir for you, the Northwest win at Lords? In 2002
So Dinkar and I go back to college and university and I remember we were together
It was Delhi university, it was in CP. It was a resto bar we were in the restaurant because we
don’t drink while we are going to college and I remember it
was just special. Life’s come 360 having watched that then and now
It’s a huge coincidence that you ask that
But in all seriousness, it was a very proud moment and I remember watching it. I was with
school friends at the time and it was just legendary. Amazing
2007 World Cup final?
Because he said T20 and ODI
I reached by train from Delhi after playing badminton, nationals. I took my first flight after
becoming an artist before that it was trains. It was late when I
came home and I reached and India won. We used to watch it the family together
I will ask you heart breaking moment. 2003 World Cup final?
Oh damn. I was heartbroken because India had reached the semi-final under Sourav Ganguly
who is one of my favourite cricketers at that point and how he would captain his head. I was
watching the match with my father. I don’t know strangely remember, now that when I look
at it in hindsight, I remember the first over, Zaheer Khan being bowled in the match and gave
away 15-18 runs. And as a kid I knew that maybe we won’t won and that just broke my heart
I still remember that I sobbed that day because I really wanted that team to win. With Sehwag
there, with Sachin sir there, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, everybody. I really wanted that
team to win. It was heart breaking I was at home
watching a match with my father and didn’t even eat that night
That was the age when you would buy the jersey. You would wear it. There was a cola
company that had come out with a blue cola at that time. Like you would buy that blue cola
and watch the match that was the level of enthusiasm so that heartbreak I remember very clearly
Actually
I will ask common one for all of you.
6 sixes of Yuvraj Singh? 2007 World Cup
I was working in radio in Chandigarh. It was a very normal moment. My radio show was on
live and there was media house downstairs of the same publication. I can hear noises from
below. I was like, what is happening? I had the access to change from jock track to songs so I
played all songs and went downstairs to see what was happening. I went and I saw Yuvraj
Singh had hit 3 sixes in 3 balls and after that the rest three.
After that no one has been able to break that record
Thank you so much.