During the recently concluded Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022, Randeep Hooda was seen constantly cheering on the athletes and the winners on social media. He keenly followed the various matches and India’s performance at the sporting event held in Birmingham.

“It gives me great satisfaction to see our sportspersons do so well. This time around, we got a lot of medals in various new sports, especially in athletics, which is a very tough discipline,” says Randeep, congratulating the athletes who ensured India grabbed the fourth spot on the list of countries with the maximum number of medals this year.

Proud of the talent coming from various states of India, as well as his home state Haryana, an overjoyed Randeep says, “Athletes from Haryana have always done well in sports. Sports is a part of the culture there. People start participating in various sports at a young age. So, it’s a little bit of genetics and a lot of hard work.”

The actor, who studied at Motilal Nehru School of Sports (in Rai), is a sportsman himself. Randeep says that he has seen the trials and tribulations that sportspersons face right from his childhood. “I know the discipline and the hard work that they put in. You do very well in one competition, and as a result, people get to know you and then, you face the burden of expectations. You have to live up to their expectations. In their sporting career, athletes have to deal with injuries, too.”

Randeep, who participates in equestrian events like show jumping and dressage, has won several medals in the National Equestrian Championship over the years. He has battled severe injuries, but he has never let the pain deter him. Reflecting on the process of suffering injuries, recovering from them and regaining form post-recovery, he stresses on how it is important to stand by the players not only during their highs, but also their lows.

He opines, “We clap when our players win medals and make us proud, but we should be there for them through their journey, especially when they fail, get injured or do not live up to their potential. During situations like these, if we support them emotionally, financially or in any other way, it will give them a big boost. I think it is already happening. A lot of help is being given to them.”

The Highway actor has always gone out of his way to stand by the players that make India proud. Last year, he met and congratulated the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (pictured above). This year, Randeep along with entrepreneur and philanthropist Jay Patel sponsored ice skater Vishwaraj Jadeja, who will represent India at World Cup 2022 for long track speed skating.

“I can only be a facilitator or someone who encourages athletes. In Vishwaraj’s case, his sport is very different, and there was no support for that sport in India. He was doing everything on his own, so we thought of supporting him. If he does well in this sport, other people will join in, too. We have to encourage this (a sport that isn’t among the popular ones) because every bit of support is a step towards bringing it into the mainstream. For many years, especially after the Indian cricket team won the World Cup in 1983, all our focus and attention has been on cricket. I am happy that today this focus is shifting towards other sports, too,” he says.

During his school days, Randeep was a swimmer and played equestrian sports. He’s happy that though work as an actor keeps him busy, he’s managed to balance his passion for sports. “In school, I used to do drama and ride horses, and today, I am doing the same thing (laughs). Playing sports is a relief as I have an obsessive personality, so I need another passion to offset my passion for acting or cinema.”

Actress Esha Gupta, currently in Europe completing a string of professional commitments, is elated about India’s performance at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Tokyo. The former Miss India International was a part of the National Volleyball Team and a track-and-field athlete in school. Like javelin-throw gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, she, too grew up idolising sports icons like Milkha Singh and P T Usha, the latter in particular, for breaking the glass ceiling as far as Indian women sports is concerned.

Talking about it, Esha says, “I used to run track, but only at the inter-school level. I would run 400 meters and have won a lot of championships and gold medals, which my parents have proudly showcased in their house and my house. Basically, my parents used to call me P T Usha when I was really young. My mother would tell me stories about P T Usha being the queen of track in India, and as kids, we would watch her on TV. She really inspired me because we didn’t have a lot of female Indian athletes at that time, and I was enamoured by her.”

Esha adds, “Occasionally, whenever I’ve been asked, I’ve openly expressed that I’d love to play P T Usha on screen. I was heartbroken when I heard that a biopic on her was being made, because I really wished I could have played her on screen. From what I have heard, it’s still not been made, maybe the biopic is waiting and it’s going to come to me. Who wouldn’t want to play P T Usha, after all? If that happens, it would be a dream come true to play one of the most iconic Indian sports figures. I think I even look like her. Our structures are similar, and our faces are similar. P T Usha, for me, is one of those iconic names from India that I would want my children to remember.”

Elaborating on how she feels about our Indian sports stars needing a better support system, she says, “We don’t have that kind of support, facilities, and provisions for our sports people that international sports stars have. So, I really wish that our athletes are given all of that. I feel proud when I see the new generation do so well at the Olympic Games without even having proper facilities. Most of them come from small towns, villages and they don’t even have a proper track to run, a proper stadium, a proper toilet or even air-conditioning and TV sets. In a country like ours, the only sport widely recognised is cricket. I would really love to see India on a bigger platform in sports. The country has the potential to become a top contender at the Olympics with an increased focus on its athletes.”

Talking about Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, the actress continues, “Neeraj Chopra is exemplary. He’s made us all teary-eyed; and when the National Anthem was played on his win, he couldn’t have made India prouder. He’s put us on a different platform like none of us have.”

From taking a 200-member crew to the United Kingdom to shoot a film from start to finish amid the Coronavirus pandemic last year, to wrapping up five films since then, Akshay Kumar has been leading by example. In a chat with us, the actor divulges what led to the decision of releasing Bellbottom in theatres at a time when they aren’t operating in full capacity, and how he drew inspiration from frontline workers. Excerpts:

I still remember that flight, being on the tarmac with a crew of 200 plus members. Everyone was quiet while we were about to take off, as there was so much uncertainty and apprehension, the underlying fear that anytime, we’d get a call about a change in rules and regulations, and we won’t be able to fly. But, as soon as we were airborne, the entire crew screamed in jubilation, almost deafening. That was such a special, liberating moment... maybe my most memorable flight till date!

I can’t comment about others, but I am going about doing business as usual. I’ve already completed five films during the pandemic. And, I’m onto the next one, Cinderella, with the same team as BellBottom, directed by Ranjit Tewari. But then, this has always been the way I’ve worked — doing an average of four films a year. Yes, the avenues to showcase our films may change a little. I know even before shoot begins, that some films are being planned for an OTT release only. Also, another term I have recently learnt is hybrid release — when a film releases in theatres and on an OTT platform, simultaneously. One way or another, the show must and will go on.

Some of the memes are really funny. The recent one, which was a still from my film Saugandh (1991), of me with a stick, read ‘Akshay Kumar preparing for Neeraj Chopra biopic’. Jokes aside, it actually feels good. The worst thing for an actor is to be missing from public memory. I guess this whole experiment of juggling different genres seems to be working.

I pick subjects which I find entertaining. If they help convey a message to the audience, it’s the icing on the cake. As far as jingoism is concerned, it’s a conscious choice. If you overdo something, audiences can see through it. I prefer to keep it to a degree which is believable. The idea is to make audiences aware of stories of India’s unsung heroes, honour them and instil a sense of pride for their achievements. If we manage to do that much, mission accomplished!

We have so many interesting, untapped stories in our country. For instance, when I did Airlift, I didn’t know something like this had happened, and to this day, it’s the biggest civilian evacuation in aviation history. Many people weren’t aware of this fascinating story. Same was the case with Gold, Kesari, Mission Mangal (2019), etc. I love real-life stories, and when I hear of an extraordinary incident, I get all the more fascinated. I feel more people should know about it, and there begins the process of filmmaking. BellBottom is no different, it’s a story based on events of India’s first covert operation.

When Ranjit narrated the story to me, we knew it would be tricky to cast for the character of Indira Gandhi, but we had to get it right. Mrs Gandhi had a certain body language and gravitas, which I felt Lara could bring to the character, and look what an amazing job she has done. Congratulations to the makeup artist, Vikram Gaikwad, and his team for pulling off the look.

It did earlier, but with time, I’ve learnt that the lesser time you spend mulling over things which aren’t in your control, the happier you’ll be. We had two choices — sulk and postpone again, or go ahead and let the film decide its fate. Taking control of what’s in our hands, we chose the latter.

I’ll have to redirect this question to two people, God and Rohit Shetty (laughs). In case you have an update, let me also know! On a serious note, with BellBottom, we’ve taken a step ahead of returning to the big screen. Hopefully, the results will give others confidence to follow suit.

Last year, most of us had the privilege to stay safe and work from home. But doctors, policemen and essential service providers didn’t have that choice. They continued doing their jobs, despite the looming fear. I took inspiration from them. The only job I know is to act, so I decided to get back to work. I have been fortunate to have cooperative producers and directors who agreed to resume shooting amid the pandemic. And, I’m glad if one decision, in turn, helped people who are associated with me to get back to their normal livelihood as well.

I have been very fortunate that such diverse roles have come my way. Earlier in my career, I’d gotten too comfortable as an action hero. It was sheer luck that Priyan (director Priyadarshan) sir offered and convinced me to do Hera Pheri, which helped me step out of my comfort zone. The reward of that one risk of trying to do something totally new, taught me to keep an open mind and play different roles, be it a transgender character, a homosexual or Pad Man. In a way, I’m still reaping the benefits of Hera Pheri.