For most of us, Rahul Bose is synonymous with cinema, the versatile actor who has effortlessly balanced mainstream entertainers with critically acclaimed independent films for over three decades. Yet beyond the spotlight, he has quietly devoted himself to another lifelong passion: rugby. As president of Rugby India and league commissioner of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), he is spearheading one of the country’s most ambitious sporting projects. With the second edition of RPL set to begin in Hyderabad on June 16, Rahul believes the sport is on the verge of a breakthrough moment in India. “Having finished one year of the Rugby Premier League, we now know exactly what kind of scope the league has and it is limitless,” he says.
Building rugby’s IPL moment
RPL follows a model familiar to Indian Premier League (IPL), it brings together international stars and Indian players in franchise-based teams. “Our aim is simple — to ensure that when people tune in, they are watching the very best players in the world,” says Rahul. The league focuses on Rugby Sevens, a shorter and faster version of the traditional game. “There is a Test cricket version of rugby, which is Rugby Fifteens played over 80 minutes. Rugby Sevens is the T20 version. It’s played over just 16 minutes and every second matters,” he explains.
Rahul believes successful sports leagues are built on four key pillars. The first is that the sport must be team-based. “The essence of a league is fan loyalty. Fans don’t just support players; they support teams, cultures and identities. That’s why leagues thrive,” he adds. The second is excitement. “In Rugby Sevens, there is a score every 60 to 90 seconds. Between those moments, it’s fast, physical and relentless. There is never a dull moment,” shares Rahul. The third is accessibility. “It’s very easy to understand. Run across the line with the ball and score. If somebody stops you, get around them. That’s the beauty of it,” he adds. The fourth, and perhaps most important factor, is quality. “Why would people watch if they can switch channels and see better players elsewhere? We had to ensure that the world’s best players came here,” he mentions. That commitment has brought global rugby stars such as Luciano Gonzalez, Manu Moreno, Henry Hutchinson and Regan Ware to the league. Convincing elite international players to participate in a league based in a country not traditionally associated with rugby required careful planning. Beyond competitive contracts, Rahul focused on another crucial factor - coaching. “When I met players, one of the first questions they asked was, ‘Who are the coaches?’ Elite athletes want to know who they’ll be learning from,” he says. To answer that question, Rugby India secured some of the most respected coaches in the global Rugby Sevens circuit before approaching players. “Once they heard the names, they realised we were serious. That’s when many of them decided to come,” he adds.
One of the most significant developments this season is the launch of the women’s edition of the Rugby Premier League. “We’re very proud of it. Many major sporting leagues took ten years or more to launch women’s competitions. We’ve done it in our second year,” he notes. He believes the exposure and competition will accelerate the growth of women’s rugby in India. Rahul’s ambitions extend well beyond the current season. Over the next decade, he hopes India’s women’s rugby team will become one of the top two sides in Asia, while the men’s team enters the continent’s top five. Olympic qualification is another major target. “We want the women at the Olympics in 2032 and the men in 2036. In 20 years, India should be sitting at the top table of rugby-playing countries,” he shares enthusiastically.
Why Hyderabad was obvious choice
This year’s tournament moves to Hyderabad after the initial season in Mumbai, a decision Rahul describes as straightforward. “Compared to cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad offers significantly drier weather during June, making it ideal for outdoor sport. The city also provides excellent infrastructure, hotels and recreational facilities for players and officials,” he says.
The city also carries personal memories for him. He recalls shooting Poorna (2017), his acclaimed biographical film about the youngest girl to climb Mount Everest, in Telangana. “I have hugely fond memories of this place. I remember the warmth of the people, the actors, the crews and, of course, the food,” he shares.
Falling in love with rugby
Interestingly, Rahul admits he first fell in love with rugby for all the wrong reasons. “I was 14 years old. You were allowed to get dirty, you were allowed to be aggressive and, honestly, it seemed like a lot of fun,” he laughs while recalling schoolboy motivations that included impressing girls and enjoying the sport’s physicality. But over time, the attraction evolved into something deeper. “I discovered the beauty, the poetry and the passion of the game. There’s really nothing else like it,” says the actor. Asked to describe rugby in three words, his answer comes instantly: “Physical. Elegant violence. Blindingly fast.”
Despite the demands of rugby administration, Rahul continues to act. He recently completed an action-comedy produced by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan, and has another political thriller lined up with filmmaker Prakash Jha. Yet he rejects the idea that acting and rugby compete for his attention. “I’ve never done more than one or two films a year anyway, so that ratio hasn’t really changed. When I’m shooting, I’m still on the phone for 16 hours a day working on rugby. Neither has had to make way for the other,” he explains.
Having spent more than three decades in cinema, Rahul doesn’t have a long professional bucket list left to tick off. In fact, he believes he has explored almost every genre that interested him. “I’ve done the buddy film with Jhankaar Beats, the romantic comedy with Pyaar Ke Side Effects, the courtroom drama with Shaurya, and several arthouse films from Mr and Mrs Iyer to The Japanese Wife. I’ve done mainstream Bollywood with Dil Dhadakne Do — I even danced in that film, albeit very badly,” he says with a laugh. His filmography also includes action-packed roles such as Vishwaroopam, along with projects across multiple industries including Tamil, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam cinema. As for Telugu cinema, the ace actor says the opportunity simply hasn’t come his way yet. “Strangely, no one from Telugu cinema has ever offered me a role. If the right offer comes along, I’d love to do a Telugu film,” he concludes.