Actor and filmmaker Sohail Khan on Tuesday announced the Entertainment & Football with Bollywood initiative in collaboration with Meher Miracles, a Dubai-based event company. The initiative’s first event on May 19 will see 16 Bollywood stars, including Sushant Singh Rajput, Bobby Deol and Vidyut Jamwal, clash with 16 UAE-based football players at Al Wasl Stadium.
“It is very exciting for us… as Bollywood actors we’ve grown up either acting, or watching or playing… It gives us the opportunity to behave like boys again,” Khan told media at The Oberoi hotel. “Football is a sport we’ve all played on the streets of Mumbai, in school… there’s something about it, that’s why boys like to throw a ball. Plus, it’s a team sport and much loved in the UAE.”
“When I shared this with my friends and the opportunity to come to Dubai — which we consider as the best city... because the people are lovely, the food is lovely, we love to be here — everyone was excited,” he added.
Actors Salman Khan (Khan’s brother) and Sanjay Dutt are expected to make special appearances at the event.
“That’s the intention, to get Salman and get him to play. Hopefully, we will have him come and kick off the game at least. [As for] Sanju Baba, the fact that he will be present will be enough for us. But we are actors and not athletes and we request that the opposing team will respect that when we are on the field. But I think it will be a good game with a lot of energy and friendly rivalry,” said Khan.
Khan said that since the game will be for about 90 minutes, it’s their endeavour to extend the evening with a musical performance. Composers and singers Himesh Reshammiya and Devi Prasad are expected to perform, and confirmation will depend on the public response to the announcement.
Adil Yousuf Al Bannay, Cultural and Social Activities Manager at Dubai Sports Council, said in Arabic that the initiative will help spread the message of the foundation to society and that’s the growth of sports. The council will select the Dubai Dashers XI who will play against the Bollywood Superstar Strikers XI.
“Sport and art are linked to the fact that they are important human activities, and artists and athletes have a great influence on society and play an important role in educating the community about the importance of sport, as well as in the ability of sport to increase ties of cooperation and friendship among different people,” Al Bannay said.
Part of the ticket sales — prices for which have not been decided on yet — will go to the Aranca Foundation, which takes care of elderly women and runs animal shelters, said Hemendra Aran, founder and chairman of Meher Miracles. The event is meant to be a family one.
