Filmmaker Apoorva Lakhia worked as as assistant director in Hollywood for a few years before he started working in India. His first project here, Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan, reached the Oscars, and legitimised the logistical excellence that Apoorva displayed on the nearly six-month long schedule. Now, he is directing Salman Khan in his next film, Battle of Galwan. But, not many know that if not a filmmaker, Aporova could have been a cricketer.
In a recent interaction, Apoorva revealed that he was supposed to make his debut as a cricketer alongside Sachin Tendulkar in a Ranji Trophy match in 1988. However, his father was against his dreams of becoming a cricketer and wanted him to manage the family business in Ahmedabad. He told Samir Kochhar on his YouTube channel, “I got a letter from the Gujarat Ranji Trophy, saying that I was selected to play for the Gujarat Ranji Trophy team and that was the match where Sachin Tendulkar debuted against Gujarat and scored his first 100 runs. I was that good in cricket.”
Sachin Tendulkar’s Ranji Trophy debut was in a match against Gujarat, playing for Bombay (now Mumbai) at the Wankhede Stadium in December 1988. He was just 15 years old at the time. In that match, he scored a century, making him the youngest Indian to achieve this feat in first-class cricket.
It was probably his interest in cricket, and his expertise in the game, that led him to Aamir Khan’s production Lagaan, which was a sports drama. Mnay cast and crew members have previously credited Apoorva for running a tight ship on the set, which even included leaving Aamir behind when he wasn’t on time.
About a month ago, Battle of Galwan made headlines when Salman Khan took to Instagram to share its motion poster. The poster showed Salman bloodstained, with cuts on his face and hands. It also featured the line: “Over 15,000 ft. above sea level, India fought its most brutal battle without firing a single bullet.” In Battle of Galwan, Salman is expected to play Colonel B Santosh Babu, the officer who led the 16 Bihar regiment during the 2020 Galwan Valley clash with Chinese soldiers.
