Yeah, come.
Okay?
Who is Abhishek Bachchan?
Personality, I would say passionate.
I don't like losing.
Fair.
Still don't like losing.
And I'd like to believe affable,
but not when I'm losing.
AB!
AB! AB!
AB! AB! AB!
Being part of this Kabaddi family
is a source of huge, huge contentment for me.
Thank you.
I get to live vicariously through my team.
Come on!
This season is about...
rebirth.
It's the rebirth of the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
So, this year, we went for youth.
Listen, whoever is playing for the first time,
don't think about the crowd, the lights, nothing.
Don't feel any pressure.
I was very clear that I wanted a team...
that is hungry.
That hunger to win.
Don't get scared, play without fear.
But having seen an implosion
of the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the past...
Luck has not been on our side.
I'm going to keep that intensity
of expectation onto them...
because I'd like to believe that
these youngsters will respond to that.
Kabaddi.
Kabaddi is in every
Indian citizen's heart.
This land gives birth to Kabaddi players.
This game has taken me to heights
that I had not even imagined.
Kabaddi is in their hearts and body.
Everything I have achieved in life
is because of Kabaddi.
Pro Kabaddi League
has totally changed players' lifestyle.
Jaipur Pink Panthers!
This team is very important to me, Deepak.
I have gone through a lot for this team.
Oh! Oh God!
Don't run away from the battle.
You're the best!
What can I say when you aren't listening to anything?
Your team hasn't been able to win
a single match in the last month.
They choked towards the end.
They had no energy.
People are already talking about
how we were a flash in the pan,
and we just got lucky.
If you're going to lose, at least lose against a better team.
You won't lose your honour that way.
If you had taken just one point, we would've won.
Learn from your mistakes. Learn.
The raiders' performance in yesterday's game was shameful. Shameful.
Every second is important in Kabaddi.
I want you to play like this.
I am giving the team to you all.
Make me proud.
-Panthers. -Come on, boys.
Where do I begin?
Well, this story actually started...
almost 3,000 to 4,000 years ago,
so,
there's a lot to tell.
I just show up at the right time.
Here we have a sport which has
a huge history to it.
India will win.
It is India's indigenous sport.
It's played along the length
and the breadth of India.
It has its origins in Hindu mythology.
It is popularly believed that
the origin came from the Mahabharata
and the story of Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuha.
Medal. Medal.
The Chakravyuha was believed to be
a battle formation
consisting of seven circular positions,
and Abhimanyu was the lone warrior
who got stuck in the middle of it.
Hence, you have the one raider
against seven defenders.
It's a very simple game.
You just draw some lines on the ground, make two teams
and you can play Kabaddi anywhere.
Teams take it in turns to send
one raider into the opponents' half.
The raider scores a point for each player he touches,
if he makes it back to his own half without getting caught.
When you first see modern Kabaddi,
it kind of shocks you.
The colourful mats and the lights
and the music and the atmosphere.
I thought if you could take a sport
as viscerally Indian as Kabaddi,
and give that the pizzazz
of a league like an IPL,
wouldn't that be fun?
You will see how much it has modernised.
Let him come.
From the sport which is very rarely
shown on television,
to being viewed by 433 million people.
I've based my whole career
on trying to build indigenous brands,
I never thought it would pick up so quickly.
Ladies and gentlemen!
This is where it all begins!
Yes, this is the start of an epic saga
for the game of Kabaddi.
I have just come here to show my support.
The journey of a lot of these PKL players
has been that typical rags-to-riches story.
Legends will be born.
I don't think anybody ever dreamt that
this would happen to Kabaddi.
Play a nice song.
I need to go to the washroom.
The preseason camp should be held
at a high-altitude place
which has a fresh
and pollution-free atmosphere.
The climate is very important.
Usually, this kind of training
is given to the army.
We are trying
to build the hamstring and calf-muscle strength.
They've gone crazy.
They made us climb a mountain. My knees are aching.
We have to play Kabaddi as well.
-The coach... -The coach had five packets of Maggi.
And he is trying to digest them by torturing us.
The other coach had ten packets.
-Hello. -Hello.
A girl or a boy? He's a boy!
Amit Hooda is encouraging the guys.
He is like, "Keep moving. What's wrong? You can do it."
He isn't Amit Hooda, he is Amit Buddha (oldie).
Sandeep thinks I am like his dad.
I am talking about our teammate.
Due to the lack of fitness,
our team would do well
in the initial ten to fifteen minutes.
We'd have a lead of ten to twelve points.
But towards the end of the match,
or after 40 minutes,
we'd be trailing by five points.
Don't splash too much!
One, two, three...
Take a dip!
The average age of our team is 21 years.
Youngsters always have a hunger to perform well.
Priyank is hiding.
We have given him a good bath today.
Whoever has that hunger
will definitely perform well.
When I told my friends and acquaintances,
"Look,
I have bought a Kabaddi team."
They would jokingly ask me.
"So what next, Gilli-Danda?"
When I decided that okay, I am going to do this.
Logistically, I had no idea what to do.
Let me be honest. I knew jack shit.
I only know one person who can do all of this.
And I called my friend Bunty.
Bunty, apart from being
a very successful producer of films,
also runs an event management company.
He said, "Yeah, everything is okay.
You know, I just want to tell you that
I bought a Kabaddi team."
He is never going to say no to me.
Kabaddi team for what?
He was so excited.
I said, "Shit, man. This is--"
His excitement actually rubbed off on me.
One point to Jaipur Pink Panthers.
It was an uncharted territory for all of us.
We have the first
Star Sports Pro Kabaddi title winner,
Jaipur Pink Panthers.
They richly deserve this moment!
In the inaugural season
of Pro Kabaddi League, in 2014,
Jaipur Pink Panthers were the first champions.
When that final whistle blew,
Aishwarya had come... I just remember hugging her for the longest time.
It was crazy.
I remember that day.
It was in Mumbai.
It was a good day. Emotional.
They have been crowned champions.
We'll always be known as the first-ever champions.
But somewhere, there was a problem.
Jaipur Pink Panthers are staring at a defeat.
Jaipur has to do something.
Abhishek's worry is justified.
And then the next season, to not perform
and then the season after that,
to go even worse.
AB! AB! AB!
Champions of season one and since then,
let's be honest, they have won nothing.
And that will really be hurting the camp.
The last six seasons have been a long, arduous journey.
The memories of us losing, it was immensely difficult.
Emotionally, I go all in.
That's the way I have lived my life, no matter what I do.
I want a legacy of success.
This season is all or nothing.
It's do or die.
I want that trophy very badly.
In season six,
Jaipur finished tenth out of twelve teams.
So, you have a big challenge ahead of you.
You're going to have to work really hard
to defeat the other eleven teams.
For example, look at this chain.
It is made up of links.
One single link doesn't make a chain,
they all have to link together.
Only then you can make a chain.
Okay, Sandeep?
Nitin?
It is very important for you
to link together to make the chain.
No one cares about how many super 10s
you got last year.
People will only see the present.
It's going to be difficult,
but don't give up.
-Will we win? -Yes.
Only a few of you are saying it.
-Will we win? -Yes!
-Panthers! -Panthers!
Come on.
Lift the dumbbells, and then...
squeeze it a little.
This way, you won't arch your back. And your back won't hurt.
Or what happens is...
You have to touch your hip to the wall.
How? Show me.
Hip to the wall,
not head to the wall.
Widen your stance a bit more.
It is a bold step that Abhishek has taken.
I think it's a very young squad.
One of the youngest teams in the entire league.
Winning pressure moments,
that's where I think they will be tested massively,
and I think that's where they are lacking a little bit of experience.
It is very important for me to win this year's PKL title.
I have already made up my mind about it.
I won't let it slip away this time.
If your leg movement changes suddenly, the raider will end up scoring.
As a captain, I think it is my responsibility to lead the team.
The management and the coach aren't with the players all the time.
There are two types of raiders.
I'll show you.
One depends less on bonus and more on touch.
From this angle, he is likely to kick.
If you are trying to get a grip, go for the shoulder or the leg.
The shoulder or the leg.
Get closer to the raider.
Close.
This competition lasts three months, and it is very tough.
The main thing is to remain fit
to play such a long season.
I don't think anyone will be as fit as our team.
If we are out, at the dining table,
or practice session
it is my responsibility
to keep the team together and motivate them.
There is no problem.
If you want to share something, go ahead.
We felt it was primed
for young talent to come through.
They are hungry. They have a point to prove.
Guys,
come out!
One, two, three...
So, you know, we made Deepak
the captain.
Deepak Niwas Hooda,
a shining star of Pro Kabaddi League.
He's an amazing all-rounder.
He has scored 710 raid points
in 103 matches.
He has 75 tackle points too.
That means, he's a utility player.
There's only one superstar in our team.
12 lakhs 60,000 rupees,
that was his first salary in 2014.
Right now, I guess he's earning 1 crore 26 lakhs.
So, you can see how this sport has grown
so much over the years.
Tell us about Deepak Hooda,
as a captain.
Should I tell the truth?
Form a line. Form a line.
Deepak won't come late,
but he will turn up just 20 seconds
before practice starts.
And the coach expects him
there before the team arrives.
To set an example to the rest of the players
because the captain should be on time.
Sir is harsh towards him
because he has high expectations of him.
Either call them at night or in the morning,
-you decide, but talk to them. -Schedule a meeting with him.
He is under a lot of pressure, mentally.
He's constantly worrying about the result of the next performance.
What if we lose the match?
But he shouldn't worry about all these things.
Group, attention.
Team, together! Disperse!
Hail India!
He's still being groomed
and has a lot to learn to become a leader.
Individually, he is very good.
He's excellent, but he should know how to bring out
the best in others too.
That's what a captain must do.
He has to prove his worth
as he's senior to everyone here.
He has played for India.
So he has to offer the team more.
He always has to be in top form.
He has to take the lead.
Deepak is the type of player
who responds to pressure.
And I felt he was ready for the responsibility.
Deepak, we have one more request.
When you step on the mat,
you have to be like a father to them.
I wasn't too happy
with Deepak Hooda's performance last season.
He had been picked up at a very, very high price.
But Abhishek said that he deserves a chance.
Deepak, you should lead from the front.
We have chosen you as the captain.
You know what your job is.
If I don't do my job properly,
then people won't respect me.
I will even lose my place in the team.
It's been instilled into everybody
that we are here for a result.
We are not here to play the game
for the sake of playing the game.
No. No.
We are here
to take that cup.
It is the first village on the Rohtak-Panipat highway.
I love to come back to my village.
Many people say I should move to Delhi or Mumbai.
But I don't like the city environment.
There's more pollution.
And I would be further away from this place.
I lost my mother when I was four years old.
My father was a farmer.
When I was in the 12th grade,
I lost my father too.
Where are you?
I am on the way.
Okay. How much time will it take?
It will take two hours.
Okay, take care, safe travels.
Come home and have food.
Okay, fine. We will wait for you.
When they know that I have days off,
they call me.
They say, "We know you've come to Rohtak, and you're at home.
Why don't you come over?"
He has struggled a lot to get to this point in his life.
I had some family issues,
so I moved in with Deepak.
I had to raise two kids.
I mean, I was here,
and Dad was alive back then.
We used to talk amongst ourselves.
I'd tell him to keep working hard.
Everything will be fine in some time.
We've faced so many problems,
that we were forced to think twice
before spending a penny.
But despite the difficulties, we never gave up hope.
I had to quit my studies.
My only focus was
to take care of my sister and her children.
I was looking for a job to take care of them.
So, I started playing Kabaddi.
He shouldered our responsibility for seven years.
He always stands by me no matter what the situation is.
I am fortunate to have a brother like him.
Here, have some biscuits.
You have gained some more weight.
That's what he also said.
Have some food.
Deepak behaves like a child around children
and like an adult with elders.
He has grown up, but he is still a kid inside.
He loves spending time with kids.
He's always making mischief with them.
What's going on at work?
We had a fitness camp.
Fitness is the only focus for the moment.
Good afternoon.
Do you want to be like him when you grow up?
Very good.
Will you emulate me?
Which side do you raid from?
On the right.
Come on, show me.
Villagers used to think
that Kabaddi was a waste of time.
They used to say, "No one prospers by playing Kabaddi."
So, he had to face a lot of ignorance from others.
Deepak had to face a lot of criticism.
And to be honest,
even I scolded him a couple of times.
Academically, he was a bright student.
I didn't understand why he wanted
to waste his time in sports.
But back then, even I didn't know
he would reach such heights with his game.
He was interested in Kabaddi. I said okay.
I got to see him on TV.
And we got to see him on TV!
And that too, as the main player.
It's a happy occasion.
He isn't someone who stands outside.
He's a number one player.
I am proud of that.
The container is too small for this.
Usually, wrestlers make this,
and we learnt to make it by watching them.
Almonds, cardamom,
black pepper, poppy seeds,
fennel seeds.
You should squeeze out the liquid.
-Yes! -Yes, do it properly.
What else do I have to teach you?
It helps the body recover more quickly.
Lucky player!
The captain brought you to Jaipur himself.
Yes.
Welcome.
Regarding foreign players, the league is going global.
As per rules,
we buy a minimum of two players in the auction.
Your cricketing has improved or not?
-Cricket? -Cricket.
-Will you play it this time? -Yes.
-Will you play? -I'll play.
-Cricket? -Yes.
Yeah?
He doesn't eat roti.
Indian girlfriend?
Yes, I have.
Do you have an Indian girlfriend?
Excuse me?
-Do you have an Indian girlfriend? -Indian?
-Yes. -No?
No.
Only Korean.
Only Korean?
In India, skin colour is a big problem.
In India, do they like fair skin?
Yes.
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19...
Stand at ease.
Faster! Faster!
Go!
Keep your upper body straight. Don't bend on the side.
You'll get cramps in your glutes.
Go! Bend forward as you run!
-Come on, faster! -Yes, that's good!
You both are one round slower.
Remember that you have to play 22 matches!
At this speed, even if you run till the evening, it's futile.
-It should hurt a little. -Push!
Don't just jog.
Nilesh, your movement is very slow!
Is this how you are going to raid?
What is it?
You're not even sweating.
Say it.
-Beg me to let you go. -Let me go.
-Plead a few more times. -Let me go.
-Say please. -Please.
Hip-hip...
Faster!
-Come here. -Come on!
Come on, get into the mood.
Very good!
Unless you develop proper endurance, you can't play for 40 minutes.
If you can't run for 20 minutes,
how will you play for 40 minutes?
Nitin, look at me when I am talking to you.
Fitness is the biggest concern for you.
Practice might be painful,
but one must endure pain to get the results.
-Yeah, it's very good. -Yes.
My God...
Oh, my God.
We need more ice.
Hey, get some more ice slabs.
Get the small ones.
-The kind we used in the morning. -Put it into the tub.
Call him here.
-It's not available here. -Get it from where it's available.
Then should I get it from Haryana?
Oh, my God!
The hero is here.
Come on, Nitin.
-Sir... -Come on.
I like it here.
Take it easy.
Nitin, take it easy.
Oh, my God!
He's a bubbly character.
He never takes anything seriously.
Hey! Watch!
We ask him to be serious,
but he just can't.
That's good enough.
It's his style.
-Take it easy! -Easy or you will fall.
My team members say, "I always have fun, no matter what."
When the coach scolds me, I make a serious face.
When the coach leaves, I start joking again.
I start messing around.
Deepak, come on.
-It's Deepak's turn. -Get in.
Come on, Deepak.
Come on, come on.
All the boys are very understanding of each other.
Hey, Deepak!
Everyone is of the same age group.
They have the zeal to fight.
That is what's unique about them.
-Yes! -Well done!
-The first four or five attempts
were terrible.
There was no footwork.
You were just trying to attack.
There are a lot of coaches today who are vying for this job.
It's the job of the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
I think, not many owners would've given a coach
a second run at a season,
given the results that they had in the last season.
But Srinivas Reddy, therefore, has to deliver this time.
Attack as you usually do!
Don't wait for him, go for it!
-I'm the youngest coach. -Yes, perfect!
Yet, they gave me the opportunity to be the head coach.
I consider myself lucky.
But at the same time, it's a challenge.
Hello! You should bend as you charge!
You're making the same mistake again.
A lot of people have asked us,
"Why have you retained Srinivas Reddy?"
Questions arose on the coach,
because our coach, Mr. Reddy,
was somebody that was suggested by me.
Hello! He is attacking here.
Are the two of you asleep?
I see a potential in him,
and I think people deserve second chances.
Yes, that's how you do it.
Definitely, there's pressure on me
as we didn't perform well last time.
So, there's definitely pressure.
But Jaipur has given me another chance.
Attack! Very good!
He better win! Otherwise, he's going to get a kick on his ass.
Because he nearly got it last season.
Support each other or I'll give you a tight slap!
Good attack!
He's a very confident coach.
He speaks his mind.
Hey! You must jump, no matter what!
But he's also got a point to prove.
And that could even work against him.
Whoever works hard during the practice
will be selected in the playing 12.
Don't expect to play the matches
if all you do here is waste time and joke around.
I'm going to demand excellence.
I'm going to demand victory.
One day, I got a call out of nowhere.
They required a chief coach.
They called me for an interview.
Until then, I was an assistant.
I told them clearly.
"If they are ready to appoint me as the chief coach,
I'm ready to join. I don't have any problem."
We do talk about Kabaddi a lot
because I'm a commentator for Star Sports 1 Telugu.
This relationship is definitely good in a way
because we both belong to the same profession.
The first time I went to Abhishek's house,
they asked me to sit in the office.
And then, a legend appeared before me.
That was Amitabh Bachchan.
I was shocked upon seeing him.
In his voice, he said, "Welcome, coach sir!
Welcome to the JPP family."
That day, I had goosebumps.
This league generally lasts for three months.
It's a long league.
And before that,
the preparations go on for two to two and a half months.
In sports families, the kids definitely miss
their father, especially
because, he is out most of the time.
Well, every coach has to deal with stress.
It's not just me. Every coach is stressed out.
If Jaipur Pink Panthers don't play well,
I don't dare to call him
and say that this was what went wrong.
He does feel lonely at times.
Normally, we don't miss him.
Well, he's like a coach at home as well.
He keeps us on our toes.
So, when he's away, we're happy.
We wake up whenever we want.
The last season wasn't so good for us.
We couldn't meet our expectations.
And yet, they gave me another chance.
That means, they have faith in me.
I think a coach's role is also very competitive
in Pro Kabaddi.
You know, if you don't perform,
you're gone.
No other franchise would want to take you back.
So, we are really concerned about him
and his future.
This game is just like going into a war.
When I started playing,
I didn't have a bicycle to reach the ground.
But today, we have this wonderful vehicle.
I owe all of this to Kabaddi.
If you don't get the cup,
somebody's head will roll.
And it better be his, not mine.
Hurray!
Hi.
We are expecting partly cloudy condition.
Today, we are going to play our first match
in Hyderabad.
Sadly,
we have never managed to overcome the match-day nerves.
I don't know how the players do it.
Last night, I was sitting around. And the next thing I knew,
you know, suddenly, the sun was out.
So, yeah, I haven't slept.
I don't know why, but this year feels...
different.
This year feels...
hopefully, special.
This time, we are going to rewrite history.
Do you know the history?
In every match played between
U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers,
Jaipur ended up on the losing side.
If you have observed, the U Mumba team
has always been a very well-prepared team,
led by a very able leader, Fazel.
Fazel is playing on the left side.
Rohit Rana in that central role.
Wait a minute. Pause it.
Here is an easy method to get Fazel.
Fake a move, distract him
with your hand and hit him
because he always looks up.
If you have observed his feet,
his toes are always facing the front.
If you have noticed, out of the seven seasons,
I think, at least in five or six of the seasons,
our first match has been against U Mumba,
a team I have a lot of respect for.
An owner who is a personal friend of mine.
Ronnie Screwvala.
So, there is a lot of healthy competition there.
The first match of the Pro Kabaddi League was
U Mumba versus Jaipur Pink Panthers.
26th of July, 2014,
eight o'clock, NSCI Dome, Mumbai.
I will never forget that day.
The first match between
these two power-packed teams.
Please welcome Jaipur Pink Panthers!
U Mumba!
For the U Mumba versus Jaipur Pink Panthers encounter,
the stadium is always fully packed.
I don't know why people are always
excited to watch this match.
They turn up in huge numbers.
Absolutely brilliant action!
And I think he was blindfolded for a while.
Many players are raring to have a go at each other.
They don't want to get beaten by them.
This is the reason why the match
between Jaipur Pink Panthers and U Mumba
has always been aggressive.
In the world of Kabaddi,
it is always said that it is Kabaddi's oldest rivalry.
Perhaps, even the final match
is not so tough in the Pro Kabaddi League.
The stadium is jam-packed
as if it is a cricket match between India and Pakistan.
This team is very important to me, Deepak.
I have gone through a lot for this team.
My family's reputation is attached to this team.
And I will never let it be tarnished.
So, I keep all these things in mind.
-We'll also be mindful of it, sir. -Correct.
This is what I wanted to hear.
I cannot guarantee that we will win the first match,
but I can assure you that we will approach it with the right attitude.
We will give our best.
They will see a different attitude in the first match.
It's my promise.
Let's be focussed.
Let's be strong.
Let's be aggressive.
We won't give up
even once during these 40 minutes.
Develop an attitude in your team,
which will leave the other teams wary of you.
Just keep one thing in your mind.
You are the best and you can do it!
We want to regain our respect.
And we will have to do something special
to earn that respect.
This is where your battle begins.
What are you going to do in the match?
Beat them!
-Hail Lord Hanuman! -Hail Lord Hanuman!
Let's go, boys! Let's win!
Come on, boys!
One! Two! Three!
Panthers!