What happens when two icons from the world of sports and cinema come together at a football ground early morning on a Sunday ? A lot of fun, learning and action! That’s what ensued when Bhaichung Bhutia trained Dev on Sunday to help the actor prepare for his role in Dhrubo Banerjee’s Golondaaj. Dev, who plays Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari — the Father of Indian Football — in the film, learnt the nitty gritty of the sport from the former striker, who happily obliged by showing the actor some dribbles, headers, shooting skills and more!

Sharing his experience of training with Bhaichung, Dev told us, “Playing Nagendra is no mean feat. Though it’s not a biopic, we all must know about his contribution to Indian football.” I am thankful to Bhaichung for taking time out to teach me football: Dev

“I have been practicing football for the past few days. But there were certain things I was not able to grasp. I want to look like a real footballer on screen. So, when I told Bhaichung about the difficulties I was facing, he was able to understand exactly what kind of help I was seeking. It took him less than a minute to help me get the synchronisation right. He even asked me to buy a plastic football so that I can practice at home and improve my skills. More than physical, the session helped me prepare myself mentally. I am going to follow his tips to the T,” said Dev.

Bhaichung taught Dev how to do the headers, how to maintain a coordination between his upper body and foot movement …Click here to read the full story