MUMBAI : Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin, who plays the role of Sunil Gavaskar in '83', feels honoured that director Kabir Khan chose to cast him as the legendary batsman in the movie.

Tahir said: "It is an absolute honour for me that a filmmaker like Kabir Khan chose to cast me as the legend Sunil Gavaskar. I'm overwhelmed with the love that the film has been getting and how people have taken a keen interest to gauge my on-screen dynamics with Ranveer as we play Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, respectively, in the film.

He added: "Kabir Khan wanted to make '83' the most authentic retelling so he had to show the vibe in the dressing room between players too."

Tahir shared that the scenes between Gavaskar and Kapil were intricate.

He said: "We had to be mindful that we're dealing with two sporting legends. There was a certain aura, celebrity, and reserved composure that Sunil Gavaskar brought to the locker room. Every dynamic had to be seen through this lens and respectful of that fact."

"No matter what went on behind the scenes, on the field we were all one team. Gavaskar often made game altering recommendations because of his experience, the consensus always was that the common goal was to win for India."

Tahir says he chose to do the film instantly and it was an emotional decision to be a part of this project.

"I'm happy that my director loved my scenes and that the audiences are appreciating Gavaskar's stance, mannerisms and the dynamics with Kapil. Being a part of '83' was an emotional decision and I'm so glad the emotion is out there for people to cherish."

SOURCE : IANS