Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
All cheers for a goal
|
John Abraham kicks the ball around and leaves the spectators asking for more, APS MALHOTRA reports from the soccer field
|
Photo: S. Subramanium
In action! John Abraham promotes his forthcoming film "Goal" at the IIT Campus to the thrill of his fans
Bollywood, which has faced a virtual drought of ideas over the years, has had to depend on the might of the Yash Raj banner, and the acumen of Aditya Chopra to introduce what has now become a powerful genre. Following the success of Ta
Ra Rum Pum and the blockbuster Chak De India, another movie, Goal — this time from the UTV stable — made against the backdrop of sports, will be hitting the screens this November. To promote it, John Abraham, who stars in the flick, played a soccer match on the campus of IIT, Delhi, as part of the annual college fest Rendezvous this past week.
Showing skills
As hysterical students braved a not-so-pleasant September sun, an athletic John showcased his soccer skills in a friendly match between two teams, donning Blue and Red colours, constituted from within the student community. As an organiser explained, “The registration process started from the first day of the festival. In view of the enthusiastic response, we took out draws to decide the lucky ones who got the opportunity to rub shoulders with their icon.”
The mesmerising power that Bollywood stars wield over the masses, particularly the youth, was evident, as fans burst into raptures from the time John entered the field and changed into his sneakers. The hysteria spiked each time he dribbled the ball or scored a goal.
John, who has honed his soccer skills for the Vivek Agnihotri-directed flick — shot extensively in the U.K., and also starring Bipasha Basu, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani — was at his charming best. He shook hands with college kids, shot footballs into the milling crowds and mingled freely with the surging groups gone hoarse. This gave the security personnel a tough time and ‘earned’ John a yellow card for ‘disrupting’ play. John’s PR offensive reached a crescendo as he took a toddler in his arms, exuding humility, sincerity and warmth, which emanate from his persona each time he dons the grease paint for a new role.
Years ago, Hip Hip Hurray, a film on soccer in school, starring Raj Kiran and Deepti Naval had won the hearts of viewers. A long hiatus followed, as several forgettable films, mainly on cricket, were churned out to cash in on the sport’s popularity. Now, the long night seems to be finally over, with several movies made on sports, other than cricket, already having hit the bull’s eye at the box-office, and the likes of Goal waiting in the wings to stri
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
