Actor Ganesh Venkatram, who will play for the CRV Pelicans (captained by actor Bharath) in the Celebrity Badminton League to be held in Dubai, says he prefers playing badminton to other sports. “One reason actors prefer this sport is because it keeps you on your feet. It is a fantastic form of cardio-vascular exercise. The amount of calories you burn by playing a game is double the calories you would lose on a treadmill. You also need to be completely alert and focussed while playing this game. It improves your concentration,” says Ganesh, who has been practising every day after his film shoots.
“I think it is fantastic that this tournament has got the entire film fraternity to spend time together. There are people from different crafts practising here. There are singers, musicians, actors, editors and directors. It is a huge event. There are 48 players split into four teams, each team comprising 12 players,” says Ganesh, pointing out that expectations from the audience have gone up for the tournament.
“I heard tickets have been sold and audiences are eager to watch us play. Our team has a good chance of winning. We have also been bonding here. For the last two weeks, we have been practising regularly and it is like a big party,” he says.