KOCHI: Like the legion of hardcore Sachin Tendulkar fans, it was a dream come true for young Bhagath on Wednesday when he finally realised his dream of meeting up with the cricket legend.
It was indeed a pleasant surprise for Bhagath-- he had played Nivin Pauly's son in the film '1983', a batting genius, who struggles a lot before finally managing to break into the big league. The film, which unabashedly portrays the layman's admiration for the master blaster, had been helmed by Bhagath's father, Abrid Shine.
Interestingly, Abrid was present during Bhagath's meeting with Tendulkar after the unveiling ceremony of Kerala Blasters FC squad for Season III of the Indian Super League(ISL). The father-son duo reached the venue when the programme started. It was the Blasters' youth ambassador Nivin Pauly-- the talented yet unrecognised cricketer Ramesan in '1983'-- who asked them to reach the hotel."We never imagined that we would be able to meet Tendulkar. It was a real surprise, and truly exciting, to have seen the 'cricketing god' right in front of us," Bhagath, accompanied by his father, told Express.
Tendulkar posed for a selfie with Bhagath, who also got an autograph from the 'little master'. Though he was blocked by the security personnel, Sachin asked them to let the young man in.Abrid and Bhagath also rode in the same elevator with Sachin. "During that time Sachin asked about the film 1983. And I told him the gist. I pointed out the village-- Brahmamangalam-- where people were die hard cricket fans," he said.
Sachin was also quite curious after learning that the movie runs through the epic 1983 World Cup victory scripted by Kapil Dev-led India squad to the present times. In the movie, Nivin Pauly is passionate about cricket, but he cannot reach any heights as a player. He was part of a local cricket team, formed by his close friends, and wins several local tourneys with his scintillating batting. Ramesan's love of the game remains and he fulfils his dream through his son. The movie ends with Ramesan talking about wanting to see his son donning the India colours. Abrid said the film also chronicles the growth of Tendulkar's cricketing career.
Abrid also recalled his passion for Tendulkar. He was an ardent fan of Sunny Gavaskar, the original 'little master'. After Gavaskar's retirement, Abrid became a Sachin fan. "It’s a dream to see the legend, even from a distance. Now, I am lucky enough to see him up close," the ace filmmaker added