’I never said I won’t watch SRK movies’<br/>

No KKR, no SRK, no Sourav. Dada's better half Dona Ganguly made it clear to MiD DAY at the onset of the interview. But as we progressed, the undercurrents couldn't be missed

'I never said I won't watch SRK movies'<br/>

No KKR, no SRK, no Sourav. Dada's better half Dona Ganguly made it clear to MiD DAY at the onset of the interview. But as we progressed, the undercurrents couldn't be missed

Leave alone the controversy surrounding Dada's jinxed captaincy and his team's 1/11 IPL win log, his wife, danseuse Dona Ganguly, doesn't even want to bring up the game.

Is it because the 33-year-old understands nothing of the business, or is too perturbed, and fears going wrong in expression? She tried to dance away our questions, but so much was enough to say it all.

Is the controversy surrounding the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) dismal performance at the Indian Premier League (IPL) giving you sleepless nights?
It's Odissi, Yoga and musical training at my cultural school (Diksha Manjari) that's keeping me terribly busy, like always, apart from my dance doctorate research. I would rather not comment on either KKR or the IPL, please. There's been enough brouhaha already.

Is your dance school planning to spread its wings to Delhi or Mumbai?
Not yet. We already have around 2,000 students at the Kolkata centre, and branches elsewhere would mean regular travel for me. My daughter (Sana) is eight, and I have to be around to manage her activities and all the teaching. It's been around 10 years of Diksha (Manjari), and she's good where she is.

Is Sana culturally savvy or more cricket-oriented, like her father?
She's quite sporty, actually, and is quite a runner. At the same time, she indulges in other extra-curricular activities like music and dance, too. She's too young to be a certain way, you know, it all depends on her mood at any given time. One moment, she's singing, and the very next, cheering dad on screen. She loves to watch him bat.

Returning to cricket, many believe Shah Rukh Khan could afford to drop Sourav as KKR's captain and even think of removing the word 'Kolkata' from the team's name only because the tournament moved to South Africa, else the hate mails he now receives would have manifested into much worse. Do you agree?
These theories are all mixed up, and no matter what I think or feel, I'm not interested in speaking about it. These are issues I don't want to comment on.

Reports say you're quite miffed with King Khan. Do you feel bitter enough to not watch his movies any more?
I never said I won't watch Shah Rukh Khan's movies; there's nothing of that sort on my mind.

End of patience. And conversation.

But dada's got back-up

The IPL experience may've left him troubled this time, but the Bengal Tiger has created better woods to walk in. Sourav's busy setting up two international schools, one in Kolkata and the other in Siliguri, because he's "always felt that kids from Bengal often lag behind children from Mumbai and Bangalore because of a certain lax outlook," as he was quoted saying in a leading WB daily.

Though construction hasn't started yet, he hopes the project is completed by March next year. The schools' office is located at their Behala residence that houses a family of 50, and a handful of hires have been made.

The schools have been named Wissen for now, from the German term that stands for knowledge. Sports, especially cricket, will be a prominent part of the curriculum.

Sourav has reportedly said that he plans to keep the fee minimal, so that the middle class can benefit from his services.

Buzz has it that there are no other business partners involved. Wife Dona, however, is reluctant to give out details and talk about her role in the venture.

Dadagiri decoded

Sourav's elder brother Snehashish is taking care of his restaurant and cricket academy as of now.

He aims to cut on his travelling considerably, not to be out for more than one week every two months.

When asked if the schools will take him away from his game, he had said, "I don't miss cricket, really. And if I'm
not playing for India I don't want to play."

Donna wants to add tennis training to her dance school's curriculum, but only when more land is at hand

She also wants him to play a more active role in her school's administration

Sourav's cricket academy plans to introduce football, too!

Dada will be hosting a reality show called Dadagiri, which will be aired on Zee Bangla in June

Dona and Sourav's families are next door neighbours, and they still have common celebrations during festivals

The former captain has no plans of turning to cricket commentary so far