Recently retired Indian Test team skipper Anil Kumble was looking forward to the release of Meerabai Not Out, till he happened to see this poster.
It was meant to be a ‘fun thing’, but After Hours discovers that the former cricketer isn’t laughing at this ‘Meerabai...’ poster
Recently retired Indian Test team skipper Anil Kumble was looking forward to the release of Meerabai Not Out, till he happened to see this poster.
Kumble, who plays a cameo in the film, just can’t seem to understand just what he — or rather his poster — is doing in bed with Mandira Bedi, who plays the role of Meera in the film.
It is learnt that the champion spinner even called up the producers — Pritish Nandy Communications — to express his reservations at this unexpected and unacceptable creative freedom.
“Anil was more than willing to act in the film and was very accommodating — he gave two days from his busy schedule for the shooting because he loved the film’s concept and was happy with the part he was playing. But when the promotions started, he was shocked to see this poster. Anil is a reserved and well-mannered man and isn’t comfortable at all with this. In fact he felt very bad about it,” says an insider, adding that the producers did not imagine Anil would react in such a way because they thought it was a ‘fun thing’.
When contacted, Mandira Bedi says she had a hunch all along that it wouldn’t go down well with Anil. “When I looked at the poster I thought he might have a problem with it. Maybe the producers have checked with him,” she said.
Rangita Nandy, the producer of the film, says: “Meerabai Not Out is a lighthearted peek into the life of people who passionately love cricket and also those who see it as waste of time. Mandira is madly in love with Anil Kumble. It is a humourous interpretation we have given. He (Anil) has not told us anything yet.”
Anil Kumble could not be reached for his comment. His brother, Dinesh Kumble, also refused to say much except, “We don’t want to talk about the film. We’d rather talk about cricket.”
Well, that’s that then.
g_prithwish@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}