For The Love of Sport
Though I could not play cricket due to a broken finger, I love cricket, writes the author. - AFP
My fascination for horses started with Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef from the movie The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I also watched the opening robbery scene on horses from Sholay when I was a kid. I studied at the Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, in Haryana, which had equestrian sports. One day, my art teacher brought in real horses for a stage play and I stood watching in awe of them. There was a taboo around equestrian, where people who were involved with it were considered inept, and I intended to challenge it.
After school, there was a long gap where I didn’t get onto a horse; it was only in 2010 that I went to the Amateur Riders’ Club at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. I started going there daily after rehearsals for my movie Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai – after my director Milan Luthria recommended me to the club. I got my first horse, which died in my arms. I was completely heartbroken.
Through one of my friends, I got ‘Dream Girl’ with whom I train currently. I have won the silver medal at the National Equestrian Championship this year and hope to do more in the sport in the future.
Though I could not play cricket due to a broken finger, I love cricket. I was very excited when I met Kapil Dev for the first time. I get along with Virender Sehwag very well. I remember in 2003, we got hammered by the Australians (in the World Cup final), but Sehwag played an amazing knock. I also enjoy boxing and MMA (mixed martial arts) quite a bit.
Randeep Hooda is an Indian actor.
As told to Samarnath Soory.
Only Subscribed users can read this article
Subscribe to Sportstar Digital and Support Quality Journalism
Already have an account ? Sign in
Full access to what our Star columnists have to say.
Be eligible for special seasonal posters.
Faster browsing.
Full access to over 1000 magazines from July 2001 onwards.
Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox!
Please enter a valid email address.