If you are a football fan, who has vivid memories of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, you most certainly remember the moment when a lofted shot from over the half line beat the out of position David Seaman and hit the net. Yes, that was Ronaldinho's doing. If that is too old a reference for you, you might recollect the time he knocked Chelsea out of the Champions' League in '04 - '05 with an unconventional toe-punt which stunned more than just the Chelsea defence. Yes, the legend of Ronaldinho, which when literally translated means Little Ronaldo, is a major chapter in football history. However, the Olympic medalist and World Cup winner, who has been a real-life hero for many, is now planning to become a reel-life hero.
In a film that is to be released in lieu of the next FIFA World Cup in 2014, Ronaldinho stars in and as R-10. The animated film co-produced by Bala Entertainment (from the group that owns Venky's and Blackburn Rovers), has the lead character inspired from Ronaldinho's on-field heroics. It will see the footballer showcase his skills in football to fight off aliens and save the world. "It is a dream come true for me. I am honored to be chosen as the athlete to play the part of the hero in the film and I hope it does well when it releases," he says while talking to the press on his recent visit to Pune. The film has brought the football legend to the country as the venture is half Indian. Ronaldinho, who is in India for the first time, has already fallen in love with it. "I love India. I want to see a lot more and I want to visit again and again. If possible, I would love to buy a house here and make it my second home," he says.
Ronaldinho, 32, who plays professional football at Atletico Mineiro in the Brazilian League, is in the twilight of his career. After spending some illustrious years in Europe playing for Barcelona and AC Milan, he is way past his prime and is now at a stage where he is closer to being a player you'd love to have in your history books, but not your team sheet. And like many footballers before him, who tried their hand at something other than football, Ronaldinho is trying his hand at films.
We have seen players like Vinnie Jones, the British footballer who made a name in Hollywood as the stereotype hooligan with a British accent, Eric Cantona, who made his film debut in Looking for Eric and we have seen a lot of footballers like Pele, Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo and many more play cameos in films like Goal, Escape to Victory and the likes.
Some have succeeded and some have failed miserably. For Ronaldinho, 2014 will be the time he finds out his fate. "I would love to be a part of the team that plays the 2014 world cup and at the same time I am looking forward to the film doing well," he optimistically states.
But for a player whose only role in the team in 2014 can be that of a relic, the dream seems too far-fetched. However, if we know Ronaldinho for anything, it is the fact that he is an artiste and has a charm in whatever he does. But whether that means he can replicate the unscripted brilliance of sport onto the screen, only time can tell.
Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 30, 2012
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