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There’s an actor in every cricketer. Most Indian players, past or present, have always been fans of cinema. Unfortunately, when the opportunity came, most cricketers have failed miserably on the silver screen. What’s not helped our cricketers are the atrocious TV commercials, where we often see them parroting.
Indian cricketers on camera had started becoming an eye sore until a former ticket collector from Jharkhand took Indian cricket by storm. Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn’t just win matches, World Cups, he stole hearts with his conduct on and off the field. What made him popular with the ad world was his composure while facing the camera. Not to forget his impish sense of humour which only served as an added advantage. Dhoni soon became the most valuable sports brand.
He still hasn’t called time on his international career, yet Dhoni has a biopic filmed on him that will release in September this year. Sushant Singh Rajput has the privilege of stepping into Dhoni’s shoes, but ardent Dhoni fans are wondering, did one really need Sushant when Dhoni himself could have done the job?
We feel the same and here is why Dhoni is a good actor.
2 Dhoni does a Rajini, ‘mind it’
Chennai became MS Dhoni’s second home the moment he was picked by Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural Indian Premier League auctions. He led them to great success. Dhoni had become the most famous adopted son after Rajinikanth. It didn’t take long for the ad gurus to tap into this comparison. So, out a came an aerated drink commercial where Dhoni got into Rajinikanth avatar and recited his famous catchline, ‘Mind it’.
3 Move over SRK, here comes Dhoni’s lungi dance
Being captain of the Chennai Super Kings would have been reduced to a statutory role if Dhoni didn’t connect with the locals. This motor vehicle ad in Tamil saw Prabhu Deva teach Dhoni how to ride a bike in a lungi. Watch out for the lungi dance before Dhoni steps foot on the bike.
4 Giving SRK a run for his money
Shah Rukh Khan is known for wit, especially his impromptu acts at awards do or staged events. At times, SRK has rubbed people the wrong way. So, it came as a pleasant surprise when the tables were turned, with Dhoni matching SRK word for word, wit for wit, and step for step. Catching the ‘Don’ has never been so easy.
5 Dhoni’s towel act
Prateik Babbar isn't going great guns on the silver screen, so he would have considered himself fortunate to do a commercial with Dhoni. Babbar played his part as the smart salesman, while Dhoni tried his best to prove him wrong. Unfortunately, the cynical attitude caught Dhoni off his foot. rather off his towel, one akin to a ball slipping between the legs.
.What stands out here though is Dhoni’s solid dialogue delivery. The likes of Tusshar Kapoor, Fardeen Khan can take an inspiration.
6 Dhoni, the mimic
All teams have characters who impersonate their teammates. However, it’s not often that you find a captain leading from the front over here. No matter how tense the match situation, Dhoni often finds a way to lighten the mood. Virat Kohli, Manoj Tiwary and Irfan Pathan discovered the joker in Dhoni on the field.
7 Taking on an Ozzie at the press conference
One of most remarkable things about Dhoni is his ability to smile irrespective of the result. Win or lose, you’ll never wipe that infectious smile off Dhoni’s face. The Dhoni smile and the humour spilled onto this press conference when the skipper cheekily reverse flicked an Australian journalist's googly.
8 Singing his way to glory
He can bat, he act, and he can sing too. At an sports awards do, Dhoni found himself in a precarious situation needing to dedicate a song to Osama Bin Laden. Virender Sehwag had a suggestion and Dhoni pouched it with both hands.