Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu, who has done some incredible movies like Soorma, Mulk and Manmarziyan, recently bought a team Pune7Aces which will be playing in the Premier Badminton League. The 4th season of the league will begin in December. This is the first time that the team from Pune will be participating in the league. Pune7Aces will play against six teams from across India. Expressing her love for the sport and how it is a big step for her to invest in something like this, Taapsee tells us more about her venture and her passion for sports.
In your promotional video for Premier Badminton League, you mentioned that badminton is a family game. What memories do you have of playing the sport with your family?
Yes, definitely! Badminton is a family sport, I have played it since childhood especially in our family gatherings and picnics. I’ve got some fond memories of playing the sport with my neighbours on streets. Everyone knew how to play badminton and playing it almost every day became a ritual for us.
From doing some brilliant films to now owning a badminton team — what made you take up this responsibility?
I see this as a huge responsibility, this is a big step in my life, a step that I have taken on my entrepreneurial journey from turning my love and passion for sports into a business proposition. I am still exploring this avenue with every passing day, hoping that this helps me love this game, and sports in general, even more. I really want to take this further and be associated with it for a long time. This a huge risk and I am willing to take this adventurous journey.
What is your team strategy for the tournament?
Well, strategy is something which will be taken care of by the captain along with the teammates of Pune7Aces. As a team owner, I am going to be there to motivate and support them at all times. I live by a mantra which I want the team to abide by too —’In it to win it!
I hope all the badminton fans across Pune come and support us and boost the team’s morale during the tournament.
Why did you choose the team from Pune?
When I wanted to invest in Premier Badminton League, the management team gave me a couple of options and Pune was the first city that came to my mind. Pune is the hometown of badminton, as the first set of rules were laid here. It had a deep connection with badminton, historically. The fact that it was a debutant city in the league, I thought I could build the image of the team from scratch. I want to learn with the team. With the kind of youth and crowd that Pune has, I think we will get good support.
You played hockey in Soorma and Manmarziyan, and you’re playing quite a bit of badminton after buying the team. Which sport do you like and enjoy more?
I did play hockey in Soorma and in Manmarziyan, but I love to play badminton. I keep playing it occasionally. But now that I have a team, I am going to play it frequently and before the league starts I am going to try to get a hang of it. I follow badminton quite frequently, in fact, I have been watching a lot of live badminton tournaments on television.
Do you think a film actor’s association with a sport increases its reach?
I hope that an actor’s association with sports leagues helps in a certain way. It is strange that no actor has associated with Premier Badminton League in the past and I am glad that I am the first one to do so. I want to help the league in whatever little way possible. I am looking forward to seeing some difference in terms of the attention given by the spectators. I am going to try whatever it takes in my capacity to get that attention.
