I’ve been watching films since I was young.

Back then, I was smitten by action films mostly but as I grew up, I started watching a lot of movies that dealt with a socially-relevant topic.

During that juncture, Kamal Haasan’s Mahanadi made a lot of impact on me.

I started going to cinema theatres a little later in my life — till then, it was mostly what was playing on TV — but one film that stands out for me was Aamir Khan’s recent Dangal.

As a sportsman, I connected a lot with that film.

There’s an inherent beauty about sporting subjects on the big screen; though everyone knows the result, the journey can still be intriguing.

Dangal, for instance, chronicled the life and journey of the two girls in their pursuit for excellence, and it’s that toil and hardwork that are big takeaways when you walk out of the theatre.

Such films should be encouraged because it tells the audience that sport is not easy, and certainly not something in which you can achieve success in a short period of time.

Aamir Khan in a still from Dangal   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When I watched Dangal and saw the struggles that the girls faced, I felt that my achievements were very small in comparison. It makes me motivated to achieve more in my sport. I’m looking forward to watching the Hindi film on the 1983 cricket World Cup.

I also personally like the Tamil film Santhosh Subramaniam, especially the portions between the father and son. Growing up, my father was quite strict, and those portions between Jayam Ravi and Prakash Raj reminded me of what used to happen in my own house. After watching this film, I realised that what we think of as strict was actually love and affection.

Though I am a Kamal Haasan fan, I have also actively cheered for Rajinikanth’s films, all the way till his recent Petta.

Whenever I watch a film of his, I come out of the theatre feeling like Rajinikanth. That’s something only he can create.

As told to Srinivasa Ramanujam