Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor struck a goal with his fans gathered at the Expo 2020 Dubai on February 13 as he spoke about his love for football and films.
Kapoor, who belongs to Hindi cinema’s first acting dynasty, is the owner of the football team Mumbai City FC, which recently won the Indian Super League (ISL).
“Life teaches you so much through sports. It teaches you discipline and team-work and you can apply that to your profession and different aspects of your life … It has helped me build relationships in my life,” said Kapoor during an interactive session at the Jubilee Park.
Asked about his fictional football dream team and the son of late actor Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor said he would choose Amitabh Bachchan, along with the three Khans of Bollywood — Aamir, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman — on his side.
“A goalie is someone who’s tall and has long hands/legs. So, the grandaddy of the industry Mr Amitabh Bachchan will be a good fit. For the penalty shoot-out, the greatest goal scorers in the industry are the three Khans and I will choose them,” said Kapoor.
Kapoor also confessed that football is a sport that has an incredible power to elevate his mood. When he was down with COVID-19, his team’s win at the ISL lifted his spirits instantly.
“The elation that I felt when we won the finals is something I have never experienced. I haven’t experienced it at any film release or any romantic date,” said Kapoor.
However, the moment he uttered the word ‘date’, Bollywood’s resident charmer had his female fans screaming his name.
He also claimed that though he loved playing football, age was slowing catching up to him.
“I am nearing my forties, it gets harder. My stamina is going down, and the injuries are increasing, and am slowing shifting to golf,” said Kapoor with a laugh. He also shared an anecdote where his father had even pulled his leg over his lack of films and his love for football.
It’s Kapoor’s first time visiting the Expo 2020 Dubai and he was enchanted by the various pavilions. Kapoor joins a long line of Bollywood talents including Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, R Madhavan, and AR Rahman who have toured the Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Mumbai is a lot like the Expo … There are so many different cultures and people who have come together in the city … I have been to India and the UAE pavilions, it was awesome. It’s so incredible to be in a place like this,” said Kapoor.
The actor, who’s likely to get married to his ‘Brahmastra’ co-star Alia Bhatt this year, also hinted that he will return to Dubai to promote the fantasy action-adventure.
“Brahmastra is a film that we have been making for the last five years … It’s a film about a young man Shiva, a DJ, who was born with certain powers and a mystery that connects him to fire,” said Kapoor.
‘Brahmastra’ is due to release this September and is one of the most anticipated Bollywood releases.
