‘We Did It Like 10-15 Times’: World Champion D Gukesh Opens Up On Viral Ad Alongside Vishwanathan Anand

Gukesh recently spoke about his acting experience in an advertisement alongside the legendary Vishwanathan Anand and revealed that the part of the ad in which the Chess master tries to mimic Michael Jackson required multiple takes during the shoot.

D Gukesh, Vishwanathan Anand. (X)

Indian chess grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju has opened up about his acting experience in an advertisement alongside Vishwanathan Anand. The 18-year-old Chess World Champion is competing in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and in an interview for the ongoing competition, Gukesh expressed his feelings about the viral ad featuring him and his mentor.

He also revealed how the Michael Jackson portion of the advertisement required 10-15 takes during the shoot. “We were laughing between the shots. And I remember the Michael Jackson step that Vishy Sir did. We did it like 10-15 times because every time each one of us was cracking," Gukesh said.

Tata Steel Chess Tournament’s official account has now shared the interview’s clip on X (formerly Twitter).

Anand and Gukesh’s advertisement for Myntra has garnered attention for its quirkiness. In the hilarious ad, Anand asks for Gukesh’s help to connect with Gen Z kids. This prompts a quick response from the young chess grandmaster who says, “Sir nobody can teach this, especially at your age… at your stature, I meant. The thing is you need to know pop culture!" The reply led to Anand jumping to his feet and posing like Michael Jackson. “I know Michael Jackson," he said.

Speaking further about the advertisement, Gukesh revealed it to be one of his first brand collaborations. He even claimed that Vishwanathan Anand’s presence only made it easier for him to act.

“It was one of my first ads. Yeah, I mean, without Vishy Sir, it would have been much more difficult, I think, because, yeah, this is not exactly my character. It was a fun concept, all these funny clothes I was wearing. But with Vishy Sir, it was all fun," he said.

“But yeah, it was overall a lot of fun. And many people were impressed with my acting," Gukesh concluded.

Gukesh made history last year by becoming the youngest-ever Chess World Champion. He defeated China’s Ding Liren for the title, becoming the second Indian after the great Anand to accomplish this feat.

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Gukesh was recently honoured with the prestigious Khel Ratna award by the President of India Droupadi Murmu for his accomplishment.

As for the ongoing Tata Steel Chess tournament, the young chess grandmaster defeated hometown hero Anish Giri who handed the 18-year-old a get-out-of-jail-free card in Round 1. Gukesh next settled for a draw against Russia’s Vladimir Fedoseev in the tournament’s second round on Sunday.

Location :
Norway

First Published:
January 20, 2025, 14:27 IST