The Subtle Art Of Not Giving Up

We're a sports-loving nation, and biopics come a close second. As Shreyas Talpade plays cricketer Pravin Tambe on the silver screen, MW sits the two down for an exclusive conversation on their lives, their struggles, and their common quality: not giving up

- Jigar Shah

From M.S. Dhoni to Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Saina, Soorma, Mary Kom, Chakda Express (on Jhulan Goswami), and Shabaash Mithu (on Mithali Raj), Bollywood has made a genre out of films on sports personalities that have brought glory to the country. The latest addition to the list of biopics is Kaun Pravin Tambe?, a movie on cricketer Pravin Tambe's life, who made his debut at 41 for Rajasthan Royals in 2013 in IPL. He is currently a part of Kolkata Knight Riders' support staff. What makes his journey more interesting is that he hadn't even played a single Ranji Trophy match before his debut (He made it to the Mumbai Ranji team after his IPL debut). He has never played for the country, but he played purely for the love of the game. His story is an inspiration to everyone who gave up on their dreams because of age, family, and other external factors. The makers of the film roped in Shreyas Talpade to play Tambe. He has previously essayed the role of a cricketer in Iqbal. Tambe and Talpade question each other, open up about their processes, and share a conversation worth reading.

Tambe: Before you were offered this movie, how much did you know about me?