Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has his hands full, and it’s not just for the sport. The 36-year old left handed batsman is making his acting debut in Bollywood alongside Huma Qureshi in the Satram Ramani-directorial Double XL, scheduled for release on November 4.
No stranger to the nuances of the camera as is evident by the reels he makes for his social media, Dhawan admits that acting comes naturally to him. “When I went to the set, they taught me to dance; I picked it up easily. I was asked to dance for a specific scene, so I did it honestly, played my part and enjoyed it. I was confident that I could pull it off,” he says. And even though it is a small part, he hopes “my fans like me in this new avatar”.
The script, which deals with body-image issues and society’s perception of beauty, was what motivated Dhawan to take on the role. “When this opportunity came to me and I heard the story, it made a deep impact on me. The film aims to deliver a healthy message to society and has the potential to start a conversation. This is a lovely message for the whole society, and I hope a lot of young girls and boys will keep pursuing their dreams no matter what,” he says.
Filming scenes with established actors can be daunting for some newbies but for Dhawan, it was a good break. “As an athlete playing for the nation, life is always very hectic. One of my favourite pastimes is to watch good, entertaining films. This is a different new life all together; it was a shoot for 8-9 hours and I really enjoyed shooting with the crew and the team.
Everyone at the set was very supportive and the director of the movie and co-actor Huma Qureshi were warm and kind throughout the shoot,” he shares. In addition to sharing a love for acting, Dhawan and Qureshi also share the same city of birth — Delhi. So how was it when two Delhiites share screen space? “She is very humble, happy and a good-hearted person. We had a good banter and enjoyed the shooting schedule in truly Dilliwalah style. She made sure that I’m comfortable and gave me some acting tips, too.She is still a good friend of mine,” he shares.
So, does this leave open doors for future acting stints? “Yes! If I get an opportunity and if I have time. Everything depends on my schedule. Of course cricket is my priority and World Cup ODI and IPL is coming. I am looking forward to more opportunities surely that come my way whether it is TV or movies. I think acting comes very normal to me, as you can also see the reels which I am making for the fans of my page. Till the time my cricket is not getting disturbed by it, I am open for more opportunities,” he signs off.