KOCHI: There has arguably never before been a cricketer that put the streets empty and the entire country glued to television, as Sachin Tendulkar has. His voice, his curly hair, his gestures on the pitch… they are all the stuff of pop culture. And now they will all be part of a movie.
Excerpts from a conversation with Sachin Tendulkar:
Does the film concern itself with your exploits as a Superstar batsman, or your rise into one?
I come from a middle-class family with strong values. It was always about staying focused on the game. That is what people will see on the screen-- what went through my mind-- throughout the highs and lows of my career.
What was A R Rahman’s initial reaction when you approached him to make music for the film?
Rahman is my good friend and was thrilled about this project. He is a master in his own field who inspires generations with his music.
Considering you’re great friends and you’re a big music connoisseur yourself, were you involved in the making of the music?
It is like Rahman telling me how to bat. I didn’t want to interfere in his profession. He is the boss there. (Smiles)
One of the famous stories about you is how your coach would leave a one rupee coin on the stumps that you could take home if you didn’t get out. Is that a part of the film?
Let me just say that Sachin: A Billion Dreams has many stories that people know about and also lots of home videos that people have never seen.
There is one footage of you being interviewed by actor Tom Alter. Were you nervous because that was your first interview?
Not much has changed at all. I am still very nervous about interviews. (Smiles) It was something new for me then. I remember Tom had asked me about Kapil Dev and how the face-off was.
Given how private you are, was it hard to let filmmakers into your life?
I understand that when you are making a movie, fans will want to see more than what they have seen in the last 24 years. Nobody had access to my home videos. So, we have tried to balance it out, and whatever my family was comfortable sharing, we have used. The film is about my journey and there are no fictional bits added to it.
Were you approached by any other directors to make this film? Or was Erskine the first?
Ravi Bhagchandka, producer of the film, approached me in 2012. He came up with the idea of making a film on my life. He is passionate and hardworking. Ravi and James (director) went on to bring this film to life.
After being in the limelight for so long as a cricketer, what is this non-cricketing phase like?
I have received unconditional love and support from people across the country during the 24 years I was on the cricket field. This second innings is about giving back to those who made me what I am today.
It is an opportunity to touch people’s lives and make a difference in small ways. It has also been a phase of learning as I have come to understand various aspects of life beyond the cricket field.
Do you miss hearing a stadium-full of voices going Sachin, Sachin?
I still hear it when I make public appearances. I am content and thankful for everything that has happened in my life.
Moving on to cricket, is there some regret about not lifting the World Cup in 2003?
Whenever you go out to participate in any tournament, especially in the international stage, you want to make sure that you lift the trophy.
Sometimes, you are able to do it. Very few teams have done it twice - West Indies and Australia, and India in 2011. But I feel that if we are allowed to play that match today again, players will approach that game differently.
Do you wonder what may have been, if you hadn’t gotten out early in the that final? You were, after all, in terrific form throughout the tournament.
I am an optimist and think not what we could have done but what we could do better in the next.
Yes, it took us a while but we did eventually get the World Cup. Those moments are for everyone to cherish for years to come.
I read that among your regrets is not being selected for the West Indies tour in 1989.
Yes, I remember what happened at the Wankhede stadium then. Raj Singh Dungarpur was the chairman of the selection committee. This was during the semi-finals of Ranji Trophy.
I was having a nets session in the morning. Raj Bhai walked up to me and said, “Sachin, after this Ranji Trophy, you focus on your SSC exams. You will play for India, but you are not going to West Indies.”
He has always been extremely supportive, and also, during my first tour of England, with Kailash Gattani and Star Cricket Club, Raj Bhai was the one who brought in sponsors, so that I could go to England. He felt that I should go because England would teach me a lot... So I respect that he has played a huge role in my life.
As a last question, do you think anything is missing in the film?
They got 10,000 hours of footage! I hugely admire their skills because how do you make sense of over 35 years of content? To squeeze all that to a 2-hours- 17-minutes film is nothing short of miraculous.