Fulfilled my father's dream to represent India, says kabaddi player Ajay Thakur

MUMBAI: Star Sports is set to showcase a special documentary 'Dream On: Sapno ki Udaan' that follows the journey of six individuals who not only dared to dream but were crazy enough to pursue it. These six stories highlight the efforts and stride kabaddi heroes have made through their lives and the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).

The three-part series - that begins on Thursday on the Star Sports Network at 5 PM - focuses on the 'Showman' Rahul Chaudhari, 'Iceman' Ajay Thakur, 'Record-Breaker' Pardeep Narwal, 'Hi-Flyer' Pawan Sehrawat, 'Sultan' Fazel Atrachali and Siddharth 'Bahubali' Desai, by depicting their struggles, their pursuit for glory and their eventual rise as the game went global.

'Iceman' Ajay Thakur talks about his kabaddi journey, "It was my father's dream to represent India and when he was unable to fulfill that dream, I ensured that it stayed alive through me. That's when I decided to become a kabaddi player and represent India. My father's dream fuelled my desire to not only become a PKL star but also win the World Cup for India. 'Dream On: Sapno ki Udaan' is an ode to my father and his contribution to my career."

'Record-Breaker' Pardeep Narwal speaks about the dilemma he had during his journey, "Rindhana is the Heartland of Kabaddi and the hometown of Narwals -- the most famous Kabaddi clan. While growing up, I always felt like a misfit and never thought I could carry the great Narwal name on my shoulders. I took it up as a challenge to prove everyone around me wrong - I put my heart, soul, and hard work into kabaddi."

'Hi-Flyer' Pawan Sehrawat talks about his family and their expectations, "My family comes from an extremely humble background. Growing up, I was aware of my family's financial condition and I took it upon myself to turn it around. Through multiple challenges and hardships, I felt that my future was bleak. When kabaddi entered my life, everything changed for the best and there was no looking back after that."

'Showman' Rahul Chaudhari talks about the impact his sister-in-law had on his life, "My Kabaddi coach is a fierce woman from Uttar Pradesh who eventually married my brother. Right from the offset, my sister-in-law was my biggest inspiration, as she pledged to make me a successful Kabaddi player. She motivated and moulded me to become the kabaddi player I am today. She's a sports teacher and her guidance and patience helped me to understand the commitment this sport requires."

Siddharth 'Bahubali' Desai expresses his journey, "My family is my biggest strength without whom I wouldn't have been able to achieve the great success in my career. My brother Suraj has been a motivating factor and it was his determination and training that transformed me into a player who was bought by the Telugu Titans for a record amount of over a crore in season 7."

'Sultan' Fazel Atrachali reveals how Kabaddi came naturally to him, "Being brought up in a country which was going through civil unrest, wrestling became the focal point of my entire childhood. I think kabaddi came naturally to me and with my wrestling background defending became second nature. I became the captain of Iran's national team at 22 and there was no looking back after that. With a little bit of luck on my side, I managed to break into the team of U-Mumba and currently I captain the side as well."