Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 11

There is a lot to love when it comes to javelin ace Neeraj Chopra. While his 87.58-metre throw sealed India’s first-ever individual gold medal in athletics at the Olympics, making him an instant star in India, his passionate plea to support Pakistan counterpart Arshad Nadeem made him a darling of the masses.

On Thursday, the 23-year-old Chopra laughed off suggestions of backing a biopic on his eventful career, saying these things can wait. “I do not want a biopic to be made on me now. What if it flops,” Neeraj said, leaving the crowd in splits during a media event.

The topic came up after it was revealed that Indian hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh’s biopic was in the works. “I am only looking at my sports career right now. Sreejesh bhai is coming up with his biopic and I am sure he will do the ‘lungi dance’ in that,” Chopra said.

At this point, Sreejesh quipped, “Bhai (Neeraj) will act in his own biopic while someone like me has to get an actor to do the job.”

However, Chopra said he is still committed towards breaking the 90-metre barrier. “I am still motivated to crossing the 90-metre mark. A career goes through stages, as I crossed 80 metres, the next stage for me is to clear 90 metres. I am not putting myself under any sort of pressure to clear it. It is just that if I cross it I will be in a select group of throwers who have achieved that mark,” Chopra said.

When asked about the challenges of dealing with stardom at this young age, Chopra replied, “I am fine with it as I know my job as an athlete is to keep fit and try to give good performances and I have started my training already.”

“People trying to click pictures with me are alright. It would be sad if people stayed away despite me winning a medal,” he added.

Chopra also addressed the video from the Tokyo Olympics in which he threw his arms up to celebrate his second throw of 87.58 metres even as the javelin was mid-flight. He dismissed suggestions that he was celebrating the gold then.

“I do not know why everyone thought I was celebrating winning the gold medal. It was my only second throw. I was only celebrating my best throw,” the Army man said.

“Anything can happen during the finals, someone could better your throw in his last attempt. I was definitely not feeling victorious after that throw,” he added.

‘I will serve PM Modi churma’

Neeraj Chopra said that the chefs who served churma to him during the Tokyo Olympics delegation’s interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi have a lot to learn about how the dish is prepared. “He (PM) served me churma. They have to learn the recipe from Haryana. If I get to meet him again, I will serve him churma from my house. He will know then how churma is really made,” Chopra said.