Aim for excellence, money will follow, says 22 Yards actor Barun Sobti

22 Yards actor Barun Sobti and director Mitali Ghoshal speak about their film, cricket and more in an exclusive interview.

Television actor Barun Sobti is gearing up for the release of his Bollywood film, 22 Yards. Directed by Mitali Ghoshal, the film has Barun playing a sports agent who plays in the big league but loses it all in one stroke. In a bid for redemption, he helps a talented boy make it big in the cut-throat world that is cricket.

Barun Sobti in a still from 22 Yards.

In an exclusive chat with Hindustan Times, Barun and Mitali spoke about the film, his character and how close the film is to reality. Excerpts:

Why did you chose this subject for a film?

Barun: When I heard the story, I liked it and immediately decided to do it.

Mitali: This is a journey of a cricket agent and a cricketer with the international cricket industry as its backdrop. How it runs in reality with sponsors, advertisers, media, selectors and administrators playing important parts. I have seen how big cricket agents are and the power they wield. I was surprised how many have not heard about cricket agents.

Tell us more about Barun’s character and the film?

Barun: This is based on the life of a sports agent and how he functions with cricket in the backdrop.

Mitali: He plays a cricket agent but he is not only about money. The sports agents contribute in a positive way in the industry. His character has various layers but in a subtle way.

How close is it to reality?

Barun: It’s very close to reality. Majority of the things that have been portrayed in the film have been taken from the real scenario.

Mitali: Every part is real in the film. Samrat has written the script. It has been inspired by international cricket and club cricket and how it functions. I have not made a biopic on a certain person, it is a biopic of all the characters which we often see in the cricket world.

What major difference do you find in television and Bollywood?

Barun: In any industry in the world, if you go for excellence, money will follow you. You do good work, people will themselves offer you good money.

The MeToo movement has taken over the glamour industry. Do you think one needs to make compromises to make it big in this industry?

Barun: If you really want something; work hard for it.

What challenges did you face while making the film?

Mitali: I got the support of Mr Sourav Ganguly who came for the trailer launch and he supported it in all possible ways he could. I had to face some trouble initially and did not get the right vibe. However, I could do it because of my unit.

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