"VAN" (Abhijit Deshmukh - Mumbai) :: Bollywood actress and Pune 7 Aces co-owner Taapsee Pannu talked exclusively to Abhijit Deshmukh during Premier Badminton League as below: -
Pune 7 aces has finally registered first victory of the PBL, it came at Pune. How special it was?
Nothing could be better than winning first match at home. We were waiting to play at our home Balewadi stadium in Pune and extremely happy that we won the first home match in the history of Pune 7 Aces. I think Pune did the magic for us, i've been telling punekars that you can make the difference. And it was proven right as thousands of people turned out to cheer and support. I thanks them from the bottom of my heart. Our victory against Mumbai Rockets was very special because we were playing for special cause. Me & my team visited a breast cancer NGO Prashanti in Pune and spend good times with patients and survivors of the cancer. It was very
emotional moment for us meeting them and understanding their pain. So we decided the first match we play at our home, will dedicate it to Prashanti NGO wearing Pink Jersey.We decided to donate them ten thousand rupees for every set we won and i'm happy that we won the match and maximum sets.Some of the survivors and patients came at the stadium and gave their heart out cheering for us.
Luckily "Pink" is also your movie, but was the main motive behind visiting NGO's like Prashanti?
Pink is not only movie for me,i'm otherwise also associated with lots of social activities related to women in particular.Be it education of girls, rape victims or the breast cancer awareness programs.So i try my best, because its the need of hour, gender-equality, women-empowerment and if i can make a small contribution towards the society and it can make difference, i'm more than happy to do it.Millions of Indians, be it women or men are unfit? How should they improve their fitness?
I think fitness is not gender based, we are getting fit with the health awareness and sports is spreading in the country, but yes still long way to go.People have to figure out on their own in taking time out for exercise and i believe sports is best way to be fit. Badminton is beautiful sports, it was first played in Pune city and was called "Poona". So we have strong bond with sports and i believe if all the family members play this sport it will make us more fitter.There is saying, educate a mother and she will educate the entire family. I think same goes with fitness as well,if the mother of family is fit she will make the entire family fit as well.
How's your journey from seating in dugout of Hyderabad team as ambassador to the owner of Pune 7 Aces?
I never thought that i'll be owning a team because its big responsibility. I'm watching Premier Badminton league from season 1 and followed it very closely in season 2 & 3. It came to my mind last year and figured out how to own the team. I was there at Auction and we got wonderful team. Olympic and world champion Carolin Marin, youth olympics medalist Indian Lakshya Sen and also experienced Vladmir Ivanov and all others in our team. So i think we did got job in forming the team. I treat every player in my team as star, because sports athletes are really big stars. My motive to be here is because i love sports and not here to be only as face of the team and fame. I get enough fame and attention in my movies and film industry. So i'm emotionally attached to my team and all the players. Pune 7 Aces will be my baby and its
important chapter of my life.
Do you give prep talk to players before or after the match?
Honestly,before or after the match i speak very little to them much because they are in different mindset towards the game. But i always cheer them up every time possible. Although we didn't had good start to the league but regardless of the results, i still keep telling you are the best team i can have and i'm sure you will bounce back and we seems to be on track now. We do lots of activities off the court, because Badminton although a individual sports but in the league it becomes a team sport. Individually if you win one match, it will not let you win the tie or the league. Every point and match matters, so we have done lots of team bonding activities and the bond is getting stronger.
You have done engineering in computer science, you are film actress and now owner of badminton team.How can you be so versatile?
I'm all over the places (big laugh). You can say, i'm jack of all trades and master at none. One rule that i've followed in my life is, just do whatever your heart says without thinking too much about what might happened if i've not done this because i dont want to regret ever in my life "Kaash mein ye kar leti".So whatever comes in my heart and my mind can plan, i do it that's why you see me doing such diverse thing. I own a wedding planning company as well which my sister runs and now Pune 7 Aces is new venture.
I'll definitely try something new when i get stabilized with Pune 7 Aces but i'm not going to leave any of them. I'm also going to be play exhibition tennis match at Tata Open Maharashtra opening ceremony along with Carolin Marin. I've never played tennis but i'm going to give my best because i just love sports and its privileged to be play exhibition match for such big ATP tennis event which India is hosting.
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