Former Indian skipper Kapil Dev, who has featured in cameos in Bollywood films and even made an appearance in TV show "Sumit Sambhal Lega", believes that the worlds of sports and entertainment have come closer over the past two decades.
Though he retired from cricket in 1994, Kapil has always been associated with the sport in different ways like a coach or a commentator. He has even played cameos in films like "Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii", "Iqbal" and "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi".
Asked about the blend between the two industries -- sports and entertainment, he told IANS: "Sports is entertainment, so there is no difference between sports and entertainment. If people come out and see sports, it's total entertainment. The biggest entertainment in this world is sports."
However, he is happy that the 'players' of both the worlds are coming closer than ever before.
"If Shah Rukh Khan can come to cricket, then cricketers can also promote films. If I do a cameo in a film, then I'm not becoming an actor, but I'm just trying to promote that situation like SRK does in IPL (Indian Premier League).
"It's good to see people from different fields coming out to promote each other. These two industries have come much closer than what it was 20 years ago," he said.
The 56-year-old shot a cameo for Star Plus' TV show "Sumit Sambhal Lega", an Indian adaptation of the popular American sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond".
But what he's not comfortable with is a biopic, telling his life's story.
Even while biopics on sportspersons like Milkha Singh and MC Mary Kom have been appreciated, and more movies like "Azhar" and "M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story" -- on sportspersons -- are getting made, Kapil said a film on his own life would make him feel “uncomfortable”.
“It's a good trend," he said of biopics, and added: "I feel proud that we are making movies on an individual like Milkha Singh ('Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'). It is one of the best movie I have seen in my life.
"The film industry has gone that far to make a movie on people,” Dev, who led the Indian side to victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup and is considered as the greatest all-rounders of all time, told IANS.
“People just want to know about any person, who has achieved something in his life. I've been approached by many people for a biopic. But I said 'no' because I don't like it. I'm not ready for that. People see me as a cricketer that's enough. So I just don't feel comfortable about a biopic, he added.
(Source: IANS)
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