The Ranveer Singh-starrer biographical sports drama '83 is slated to release in June this year. The film directed by Kabir Khan chronicles India’s first Cricket World Cup win under the captaincy of Kapil Dev in 1983. While Ranveer Singh has portrayed Kapil Dev, Tahir Raj Bhasin has essayed the role of Sunil Gavaskar in the film.

Not just his impeccable batting, Gavaskar is also known for his sharp sense of humour, ability to mimic people and accents and his winning mindset. During the course of the film, he sat with Tahir to share some valuable details of his life and career.

Tahir says, “Playing a living legend is a massive challenge. There’s a lot of pressure. I met Sunil Gavaskar a couple of times before we started the shoot, and I read his biography, too. I watched all his interviews, but when you see that man walk into a room and the aura he carries, there’s a lot of pressure. On-field he was a tiger, but off the field, he is extremely charming and funny. To be able to portray that combination was a challenge.”

Tahir adds, “He also had a certain swag when he walked onto the field. I asked him if that is how he naturally walked or did he adapt a style while walking to the pitch. He told me, ‘When one is opening the innings for India against a side like West Indies, where every player is as tall as 6’3 or 6’4, and you are 5’4, you need to bring in a certain power, strength and confidence in your walk.’ That, for me, was a beautiful life lesson, not just as a screen cricketer but an actor as well. ‘How you walk into a room is how people perceive you.’ Nuggets like these, which emerged from our face-to-face conversation and weren’t in his biography, helped me mould into the character. I want to tell everyone who has been waiting for 83, that as actors, we can only portray the essence of a character. I haven’t mimicked Sunil Gavaskar. It’s an artiste’s impression of who he was as a player.”