Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 17, 2014)

While various cricketers have given Bollywood a shot, the latest to jump on the bandwagon is Dinesh Mongia. Dinesh is all set to make his debut in a Hindi comedy film. Since, the cricketer hails from Chandigarh, the film has also been simultaneously shot in Punjabi. Interestingly, Dinesh will pay tribute to Amitabh Bachchan in the film. With no acting background, the player attended a three-month workshop to prepare for the role. Be it Big B’s mannerisms, clothes, baritone voice, dialogue delivery or look, everything had to match.

 Director Rabinder Parasher, who has assisted Mahesh Bhatt, revealed, “When you get people from a different field to act, it brings novelty. Dinesh essays the role of an income tax officer, who is a diehard Amitabh fan. Since he too is tall, left-handed and a true fan of the legendary actor, he was the ideal choice. He will enact Bachchan’s iconic ‘Yeh Kya Hai - Chappal, Kaunsi - Kolhapuri’ scene from Suhaag (1979). It’s our tribute to the Amitabh Bachchan of the 70s.”

 Dinesh, who has not been a part of international cricket for a while, added, “I have been a part of our national cricket team for seven-eight years. I’d love if my former teammates Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar watch the film. I never aspired to be an actor. This opportunity came by and I took it. Aping Mr Bachchan can never be easy. It was hard work, but also fun. I would love to do movies in future.”