Games besides cricket have gotten a boost due to Bollywood

With news floating in that former France and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka could be a part of Ranbir Kapoorrsquos football team Mumbai City FC the Indian Super League ISL has got more exciting Itrsquos not just football sports besides cricket have recently got a shot in the arm due to Bollywoodrsquos newfound love for sportsThe Pro Kabaddi league that saw the presence of celebrities like Abhishek Bachchan Aishwarya Rai and Sachin Tendulkar was a huge hitPassion play Whether itrsquos Shah Rukh Khanrsquos love for his cricket team or Ranbir Kapoorrsquos idol worship of Argentine hero Lionel Messi some of our BTown stars are true sports enthusiasts Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh says ldquoI was present at some of the Pro Kabaddi matches The kind of involvement that Abhishek Bachchan showed was heartwarming He lent not only his name but also his time and emotionsrdquo Both sports and acting demand a knockout act Physique athlete Miihier Singh who recently represented India in the Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship tells us ldquoI feel Bollywood superstars understand the kind of passion and hardwork a sportsman puts in his regime They know that we too are performers who donrsquot have the luxury of retakes I feel itrsquos their passion that brings them to the forerdquoAmitabh Bachchan supported shooter Ayonika Paul in her CWG campaignCrowd pullers There is no denying that Bollywood stars help bring in the crowds Indiarsquos star footballer Sunil Chhetri says ldquoBollywood personalities influence a large part of the audience and help bring in the crowds Yes it does help when a celebrity enjoys a particular sport as it attracts new spectators and creates awareness about the sportrdquo It should be noted that actors such as Suniel Shetty and Jackie Shroff often support smaller sporting events Former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay says ldquoI feel that Bollywood is doing a lot for sports in the country mdash much more than the government I would like to thank celebrities such as John Abraham Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar for their support Their presence gives a lot of confidence to young playersrdquo Miihier Singh also endorses Pillayrsquos views He says ldquoSomehow the image of a sportsman enhances once hersquos seen with a star A lot of people will ask about me if they spot me with Salman Khan or Arnold SchwarzeneggerrdquoVijender Singh Indiarsquos boxing champGlamorous evil One of the main criticisms that follow Bollywoodrsquos involvement with sports is that the flashy lifestyle distracts young talent boxing champion Vijender Singh opines ldquoI donrsquot think itrsquos true at all I am a sportsman who did a stint with Bollywood and one can manage the two very well Moreover celebrities across the globe are involved with sports and teams No one raises a finger at them A sportsman will always remain a sportsmanrdquo He further says that people should look at the positive side rather than crib about such nonissues Chhetri too has similar views He opines ldquoI donrsquot think that stars are a distraction They only add to the glamour and the buzz around the sport mdash it happens all over the worldrdquoFootballer Sunil Chhetri feels that BTown can greatly help draw the crowdA sea change Sportsmen feel that BTown can do a lot more to promote sports Pillay informs ldquoI feel they should support more events at lower levels which will encourage children and parentsrdquo Rakesh Kumar Indiarsquos kabaddi captain who took part in ProKabaddi League tells us ldquoThere was a buzz around the kabaddi team after it won gold at the Asian Games in 2006 and 2010 Sadly the interest wore off in 1520 days After this league people have recognised me at the airport mall and restaurant It feels great to be known in the country We kabaddi players work hard but we donrsquot get money or fame as compared to cricketers The celebrity involvement has made a world of difference Earlier I used to see 7080 kids playing kabaddi at the sports ground in Nizampur my hometown Post the league the number has doubled to 120150rdquo