'Virat mimics people really well, maybe Anushka Sharma can give him some acting tips'

Virat Kohli may be one of the biggest names in international cricket, but former India head coach Rahul Dravid believes the star could also have what it takes to face the cameras for a Bollywood film.

While discussing cricketers who could make good actors, Dravid recalled Kohli’s mimicry skills and his extensive experience in advertising.In a conversation with BBC Asian Network, Dravid was asked which of his former teammates would make the best Bollywood actor. Abhishek Bachchan, who was also part of the conversation, pointed out that several cricketers had already tried their hand at acting.Dravid responded, “Sunil Gavaskar tried to act. Syed Kirmani tried to act, without much success.

Ajay Jadeja did one film. Good thing they stuck to the cricket,” he said with a laugh.When Dravid was asked if he would ever consider acting himself, he immediately ruled it out, saying, “No. I know what my strengths are. I’m not making a fool of myself.”However, he then thought of Virat and highlighted one particular talent that could work in the actor's favour.“I think Virat has got a tremendous ability to mimic. He mimics people really well.

He doesn’t do it very often nowadays, but I remember him as a young kid coming into the team when we were all seniors and… Like, his ability to mimic people was absolutely superb. And he has done so many ad films. He is pretty much a pro at it.”The conversation then turned to Virat’s wife and actor Anushka Sharma. The interviewer suggested that Anushka could perhaps help him if he ever decided to explore acting, saying, “I am sure Anushka can give him some tips.”Virat and Anushka first met while shooting for an advertisement, and the cricketer has since featured in numerous brand campaigns.Dravid was also asked about his favourite Bollywood films centred around cricket. He named Ranveer Singh’s ‘83’ and Abhishek Bachchan’s ‘Ghoomer’, while also praising Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’.“Lagaan, I thought, was really good. It was a fantastic film.”Interestingly, Dravid is not the only industry personality who has spoken about Virat’s potential as an actor.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra had earlier discussed the cricketer’s acting abilities in a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia.“He is already a great actor. He is from Delhi, he is a Punjabi. He has seen that life. He has handled success so beautifully. He has maintained himself on every level – competition, looks, fitness, mentally.”However, Chhabra also felt Virat should stay away from films even after his cricket career comes to an end. He added, “He is also so funny. He will dance, mimic, his comic timing is great. He is doing very well in making the country proud, he should stay where he is and not join films. He should not join films even after retiring from his cricket career. He is genuinely a smart guy, not a cunning one.”Virat and Anushka tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Italy in 2018. The couple are parents to daughter Vamika and son Akaay and have been based in the UK for the past few years.