FROM SET TO STADIUM

On Friday, R Balki’s 2023 sports drama Ghoomer returned to the theatres to celebrate India’s historic ICC Women's Cricket World Cup triumph.

- Roshmila Bhattacharya

On November 2, Saiyami Kher, who plays a cricketer in the film, Anina Dixit aka Ani, was in Navi Mumbai when our women in blue beat South Africa.

“DY Patil Stadium feels like a home ground to me because Ghoomer was shot there thanks to which I know the owner, Vijay Patil. I was sitting with Harman (India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur) and Smriti’s (vice-captain Smriti Mandana) families, listening to Smriti’s dad knowledgeably discuss on-field tactics. Cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar sir, VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma were also there and as Harman took that last catch, the packed stadium erupted and I saw grownup men in tears,” the actress reminisces.

She later went down to congratulate the players on the ground. “The moment was so huge they admitted it had yet to sink in, but I finally understood what it feels like to win,” says Saiyami, borrowing Abhishek Bachchan's dialogue. He plays Padam Singh Sodhi aka Paddy, a failed cricketer, surly and alcohol-sodden, who becomes Ani's coach after she loses her right hand in a freak accident, ensuring the erstwhile batting prodigy returns to the Indian team as a spin bowler.