First footballer then filmmaker. I make films when I am playing football :) — reads his Twitter bio. The Piku director is truly a sportsman at heart. t2 caught up with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Bengal Premier Tennis League 2018, in association with The Telegraph, at Dakshin Kalikata Sansad on Monday evening. 

What made you come here for Bengal Premier Tennis League 2018? Is it your love for Calcutta?

Obviously, there is that love for Calcutta that you cannot deny… but BTA (Bengal Tennis Association) came and requested me whether I’d be a part of it. I said I don’t want to become a brand ambassador again, but I have full support for the league. This is the second year and it’s tennis… this is purely an enthusiasm for sports…. I saw so much excitement among the districts last year. I had also sponsored an award last year… the Most Enthusiastic Team (smiles)! I think this year also I am going to do that. 

Your daughters are saying they play a lot of soccer with you when you are in Calcutta...

Frankly speaking, when I am in Calcutta, I am not byasto at all. When I am here, I am byasto with my family. I don’t compromise on my family time. Aami nijer cinema’r jonyo time di na from my family time. I am mostly playing sports. I go running in the morning at Salt Lake Central Park. If you don’t find me anywhere, you will find me there. I start around 7.30am-8pm and I am there till about 10am-10.30am… running, sports, yoga… it’s a mixed bag. 

Anannya (younger daughter) plays badminton and Koyna (elder daughter) plays tennis. I want sports to be the primary focus… tarpor porashonai ki korbey na korbey, sheta onek durer katha. If sports is a part of your life from childhood, I have seen that it’s a lot easy to live your life. This is from my personal experience. Life has its own struggle. Like Vivekananda had said: ‘You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.’ The scientific reason is a little different. Your mind will not stray. Today’s is a digital world. So, sports gives you a diversion from that. 

You took up sports very early… 

Very early. I used to live in Barrackpore during my childhood and would study in Barrackpore Central School and I just got introduced to sports. Sports meant football. 

So, you grew up playing football… 

Khep football. (Laughs) Aami thikthak kheltam. So, there was a 4’10’’ tournament. Your height has to be 4’10’’. So, a lot of boro boro players would come for a 4’10’’ tourney. Their height used to be 4’11’-12’… they would stoop to get into the team! I have seen it! (Laughs) My dad was in the (Indian) Air Force. They would tell my Ma, ‘Kakima, we would take him.’ The offers would be deem-pauruti after the match and that they would take pick me up and drop me in a bicycle! Ma would go ‘okay’. Ei lobhei match khelechhi! 

Such innocent joy!

Tokhon etai chhilo. Pauruti-kola-deem… you could make an entire Bengal play anything for that! (Laughs) 

What else have you tried?

I have played cricket but didn’t enjoy it. I have enjoyed tennis, badminton and table tennis… but nothing to beat football! I call it God’s own sport. The world is going at a different speed in football. Erom football dekhe matha kharap hoye jay! This is the cheapest sport in the world. You don’t need anything. You just need a ball. Aar eto akta bondhutto hoi na.... Kotha theke je egarota player jurey jai, tumi chinta kortey parbey na! When Opentee Bioscope (directed by Anindya Chattopadhyay and produced by Shoojit Sircar) had released, I said this in a discussion… when we would play football as kids, it didn’t matter which caste or religion you belonged to or how rich your were. Everyone is equal. 

How come you didn’t become a footballer?

I couldn’t play nationals. I played till the university level. It depends on your talent. Football is going great in our country now. I am happy that ISL (Indian Super League) has come… the standards have gone up…

Really? 

It has definitely gone up. It will take time… you see tennis and badminton… it has taken time… football will also have its time. 

But such a home-grown sport and in this condition… isn’t it tragic?

It is tragic. I think the system has to change. There has to be a rule book from the time you are a kid. You need a support system. 

We are not a sporting nation… 

Now it has started. Single sports e hoyechey boley… you are seeing success in tennis and badminton. Because the parents were at it. The athlete’s mind has to be free from all other things. When we were growing up, it was more about which college you’d go to, what kind of job were you looking at, engineer or doctor… football tokhon mathay uthe jai. 

Who are your heroes?

It was Ronaldinho and (Diego) Maradona. (Lionel) Messi is a god. I don’t think anybody can even come close to him. Maradona’s goal against England (1986) was memorable. I also loved a Messi free kick and another of his flicks.

Are you the person who you are because of sports?

I am making films when I am playing football… shob idea okhaney ashey! (Laughs) I took a break to play football while shooting Piku. A lot of my friends love running and if they cannot run, they feel low. Even if I cannot play a sport, I do something. During Opentee, I had told Anindya: ‘Aami ekta camera kori!’ That’s also an exercise for me. (Anindya Chattopadhyay who was also present at the t2 adda pitched in: ‘The football match was a multi-camera shoot. Okhaney ekta camera Shoojitda’r kora!)

Don’t you want to make a biopic on a sports star?

I have a story about 1911 (when Mohun Bagan beat British East Yorkshire Regiment football team and made history as the first ever Indian team to lift the IFA Shield). But I haven’t been able to chalk out the script. Messi’s life fascinates me. Whenever I see him I feel… ekta chhoto bachcha kheltey nemechhe… ebar khelbo moja korey! The most important thing about sports is to enjoy the game and not to stress yourself. 

Tell us about the All Stars Football Club…  

Abhishek Bachchan is our captain. I am there in the team. There is Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor… there is a practice every Sunday. Ranbir is a good player. Ranveer Singh joined from last week. I am happy that the new breed is interested in football. 

The All Stars Football Club match (Celebrity Clasico) against the Indian cricketers was a huge hit…

Hahaha! Virat Kohli (who captained All Heart Football Club in the match) is another fantastic sports person. Salute to him. He ran for 90 minutes. I am the oldest in the team… 51! There is a goal of mine on YouTube. It is a big hit on YouTube. Whenever I meet Virat Kohli and Yuvraj (Singh)… they will say: ‘Dada, goal mat dena’. The whole Indian cricket team knows me because of that goal. 

You are in an industry where you see success and failure every Friday. Does a sportsman spirit help in overcoming the odds?

(A platter of vegetarian delicacies arrive) I have turned a vegetarian for the last five-six years. I feel lighter.... Sports teaches you both success and failure. The biggest thing that sports teaches you is to live that moment. The minute it is over, it doesn’t matter whether you have won or lost. It teaches you a lot of discipline. It trains you mentally. 

You are already booking tickets for which match?

The upcoming World Cup in Russia. I really want to see a repeat of a Messi and Germany. 

We have to ask you about October!

October is coming in April. Ki aar bolbo! Dekhbey. It is a film you have to experience. The biggest problem filmmakers have is that when we write the film, we go through the entire emotional journey. After that, it’s all mechanical! You have to make the film. 

What has playing a sport taught you? Tell t2@abp.in