• Home
  • Entertainment
  • This Bollywood Actor Played Cricket With Virat Kohli Before Starring In Kapil Devs 83

'This' Bollywood Actor Played Cricket With Virat Kohli Before Starring In Kapil Dev’s 83

image-lmz0g2pqA still from 83 (x.com)

Cricket in India has ingrained itself as more than just a sport, it’s a religion. Having ensnared the hearts of millions across the country, this profound connection naturally found its way to Bollywood, where cricket-themed movies like Lagaan, MS Dhoni and 83 have further intertwined the two worlds.

Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh, who played Kapil Dev in a biopic; and late Sushant Singh Rajput, who played MS Dhoni in the 2016 sports drama played significant roles in bridging cricket with India’s movie industry, and made a lasting impact on the audience while doing so.

Another prominent-yet-unnoticed actor who played his role in bringing the two worlds together is Saqib Saleem, brother of famous Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi.

Saqib briefly played cricket with Virat Kohli in Delhi

Before entering India’s entertainment industry, Saqib Saleem longed for becoming a cricket player while growing up in Delhi, which also happens to be the hometown of Virat Kohli.

He considered switching to acting only after moving to Mumbai and ended up making his Bollywood debut with 2011 romantic comedy Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge. Notably, the actor also got the opportunity to relive his childhood aspiration, albeit behind the rolling cameras, as he played the role of an Indian cricketer in 2016’s film Dishoom.

During the filming of Dishoom, Saqib Saleem stated that he had the experience of playing cricket with Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli in Delhi.

Saleem’s brush-up with cricket did not end with Dishoom, as he also starred as 1983 World Cup winning hero Mohinder Amarnath in 2021’s sports epic 83.