‘I overheard him’ – Saiyaara Director reveals how Virat Kohli inspired Ahaan Panday’s character

Bollywood director Mohit Suri recently stated that his latest film, Saiyaara, will include a poignant tribute to former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. The film’s protagonist, Kirish Kapoor, played by rookie Ahaan Panday, was inspired by a real-life contact Suri had with Kohli in the early stages of his cricket career.

Suri recounted seeing a young Virat Kohli in a nightclub years ago, before he became a global icon.

The filmmaker revealed that he overheard the young hitter confidently saying that he would one day be the biggest star in global cricket.

“I remember seeing Virat Kohli once when he was like a newcomer in a nightclub, I think. And I remember him once saying, ‘You see, I’m going to be the biggest cricketer’, overheard him saying it to some people. And he was a newcomer that time,” said Suri on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra.

“He’s younger than me, so I’ve seen that and he’s had his ups, and the glorious career that he’s had. But he’s had his downs also. And then he comes back after over a thousand days and scores a century again,” he added.

Suri also hailed the former Indian captain as a legend and stated that he is a big fan of the star batter. He expressed his admiration for the cricketer and further elaborated on how he used the cricketer’s analogy during the making of Saiyaara.

“He truly is a legend and you’ll have people who make scores and break records but if you want to be remembered forever, you have to live the life that Virat lived. That was the best example to give. He’s done it his way. He’s given to cricket,” Suri stated.

“So I just wanted this analogy to make music, not by just making a hit, not just scoring a century, but by giving something back to music like how Virat has. So, all power to him man. I’m a Virat Kohli fan,” he added.