Exclusive Interview: "Every Youth Should Indulge In Playing Sports", Says Ace Footballer Sunil Chhetri

Indian ace footballer Sunil Chhetri will be seen in a cameo role in Bombers along with actor Varun Mitra. The ten episodes of web series will be released on June 22 on ZEE5 OTT platform. The web series revolves around the game of football. The web series has been shot at Chandan Nagar in West Bengal, Mumbai, and Bhiwandi in Thane.

Varun Mitra will be seen playing the role of a footballer (Badol). The cast of the film includes Ranvir Shorey playing the role of a football coach, Anup Soni, and Meiyang Chang.

Ace footballer Sunil Chhetri and actor Varun Mitra in an exclusive interview with STARBIZ correspondent Imran Fazal spoke about the importance of sports and their excitement on the release of new web series Bombers. Excerpts from the interview:

Would you like to discuss the role you have played in the web series Bombers?

We have not shot it yet. I also wish the whole crew my best wishes. I have seen bits of it, they worked hard. It is not every day that a movie is made on football, about a small club with a lot of people slogging not only on their game but also to put their lives on track. I just hope people enjoy it.

Will Sunil Chhetri be seen in any other movies?

A few inquiries by filmmakers and people from the industry have been made. I have kept my options open.

On which football player you would like a movie to be made?

Indian football had a lot of superstars before Vijayan or Bhutia; it is just that I don’t have so much knowledge about them, compared to these two. It is like talking about Pelé or Lionel Messi. I have seen Messi more, so would like to know more about the player and the person. I hope other legends get a movie made on their game and their life.

When we talk about sports, Mumbai is a concrete city where football grounds are few. How do you think the youths should be encouraged to play the game?

We must ensure that the infrastructure of the city is used to the maximum. People should indulge in playing sports. Football is a game which can be played in all weathers (hinting towards Cricket World Cup which has been washed out due to rains). Today, kids with all age group are inching close to playing football. The support to the Indian Football team is growing steadily.

Varun how will you describe your role in the web series Bombers?

My role in the web series revolves around the game of football. I have a football team which meets with a tragic incident. The story is about Badol (Varun Mitra) and his quest to play the game and win. The character involves forming the team again with the help of the coach and the challenges we face during practice. It is about the pain behind the glory.

This is your first web series, how do you think this story will impress the audience? 

I have been playing sports since my childhood. I have played football during my school days and I could feel that sports connect with the audience especially youths. The story narration is so perfect that every character in this web series has its personal life story along with the quest to play the game and win it. The script of Bombers was so good that I did not even blink my eye before going ahead with it. It has been a fantastic experience shooting for this web series and we are hoping for season 2 in the future.

How did the crew undergo training and how was the atmosphere on the sets?

I have been playing a shorter version of football since I shifted to Mumbai. But playing on the bigger grounds takes a lot of stamina. We had a football coach and sports choreographer who ensured that we trained and gave perfect hots for the film. On the sets, we had a good team spirit and everybody got involved actively and were very positive about the web series.