Tahir Raj Bhasin is a formidable actor who has showcased his acting skills time and again. Particularly in Mardaani, Tahir wowed one and all as he debuted in Bollywood as a menacing kingpin of a child trafficking racket. Tahir is currently filming for 83, based on India’s first world cup win and he plays the role of the cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar. Having never played the sport professionally, Tahir’s approach to becoming Sunil is noteworthy.
“Former Indian cricketer Balwinder Sandhu and fitness coach Rajiv Mehra have worked with me for 6 months to get the body language right . When I started my cricket coaching, I realized that the way I hold the cricket bat was not text book form. Like most kids growing up, I have only played gully cricket recreationally. So, I quickly realized how daunting the task will be to actually play the game and become the great Sunil Gavaskar,” informs Tahir.
The actor adds, “The first thing my coach told me was that I needed to boost my endurance and I started doing altitude training that really pushes up your stamina. I was told to add swimming to my fitness regime and also do serious weight training 3 days a week. My trainer told me when someone sees you running on screen – be it during fielding or while taking a run while batting – you need to look like a professional cricketer and your form needs to be perfect and you should not be seen struggling. An actor like me chases perfection; I’m glad that I put myself through the grind because today I’m confident to do justice to my role and my film.”