15 January,2009 06:29 AM IST | | Shaheen Parkar
Been there...? Gulshan Grover and Hurman S Baweja in Victory and Sachin Tendulkar with Mark Mascarenhas
Gulshan Grover to play character based on Sachin Tendulkar's late agent
The man who made Sachin Tendulkar a brand, finds himself resurrected in Ajit Pal Mangat's Victory. The late Mark Mascarenhas was not only the cricketer's agent but also a close friend.
Gulshan Grover essays a character modelled on Mascarenhas, who makes stars out of sportsmen.
The film, starring Hurman S Baweja, has a cricket backdrop with several Indian, Australian, Pakistani players making special appearances.
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Says Grover, "When I was offered the role, I was told that my character was based on Mark Mascarenhas. I play Andy Singh, an entrepreneur, who makes stars out of players.
My aim is to make Vijay Shekhawat (Hurman), a small-towner who becomes part of the Indian team, a big star."
But director Ajit Pal maintains that he has not modelled the character on Mascarenhas. "There are several sports celebrity managers today and it has not been inspired by anyone in particular.
I respected Mark Mascarenhas as he made celebrity sports management a big thing. I conceived this character of a manager who helps the sportsman make money. It is an extremely flamboyant character."
Mascarenhas, who died in a road mishap in 2002, headed the management company WorldTel, which used Tendulkar as cricket's best selling brand after signing a mega deal with the player.
It is learnt that Anil Kapoor was the initial choice to play the role.
Grover prefers to be known as the master of disguises as he always experiments on his looks. But for Victory, he has refrained from any over-the-top paraphernalia.
He adds, "The relationship I share with the young cricketer is like that of an elder brother and a younger brother. There is the same entrepreneurial zeal like Mascarenhas to hardsell the name as a brand."
