Tahir Raj Bhasin: “It’s indeed a huge responsibility to play Sunil Gavaskar”
Though there is much excitement for Ranveer Singh to play the lead in Kabir Khan’s ‘83’, Tahir Raj Bhasin is also receiving much interest with his role in the film, playing the role of legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. Apparently, where the actor has never played cricket before, understanding how important it is to get this role perfect, Bhasin is doing everything he can to ensure he does a good job.
“It is indeed a huge responsibility to play Sunil Gavaskar on screen, and I definitely want to pass this test by convincing everyone that they are seeing the legend on screen and not me. To achieve this, my on-field practice is designed beyond playing good cricket and is targeted towards playing specific shots in Gavaskar’s style,” The Asian Age reports the actor stating,
He went on to add, “My time in the nets is being treated like physical choreography for the character. Kabir Khan’s vision requires all of us to bring on field nuances to life to show the underdog Indian cricket team’s miraculous World Cup win in England in 1983, and I intend to give this my 200 per cent.”
Talking about how much training he is undertaking, a source close to Bhasin was also reported explaining, “Since the day Kabir informed him that he was a member of the talented ‘83 team, Tahir has been making sure that he devotes extra time to better his game. He knows that despite not having played the game, he has to make it look incredibly convincing on screen. He plays the role of the legend, Sunil Gavaskar, and he can’t afford to not look authentic. Sunil had his own flair, his own swag, and he dominated the cricket field with elan. Tahir realised the responsibility at hand and has been hitting the nets ever since.”
Well if this is anything to go by, it seems Bhasin is on the right track in depicting this legendary role perfectly, which only makes the excitement for the film grow.
‘83’ will tell the story of how the 1983 Indian cricket team lead by Kapil Dev won the world cup that year. Singh has been also undergoing training for his role as Dev.
