Sachin: A Billion Dreams

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- Today, you can't talk to Anjali

because she's just had an operation.

- You're going to be a

cricketer like your father?

- Father's so shy,

he's not looking up.

- I am scared.

- I'm concentrating very hard.

As far as I can remember...

...l always wanted

to be like my father.

- Should we go to Goa?

He always told me that,

"Whatever you want to be in life...

...make sure you give your best

and you don't find shortcuts."

- So unaware of what everybody's doing.

"You've chosen to play cricket, that

is just one chapter in your life.

Something that's going to stay permanently

with you is the person that you are."

"lf people told me that he's

a better person than a cricketer...

...then I would be a happier father."

What is India?

I think there is no India.

I think there are a thousand lndias

At the stroke of the midnight hour,

India will awake to life and freedom!

- In a country, where there's

such widespread poveny still...

...unless it is dealt with,

no system will prevail.

The story of India over the last 25-30

years... is of a nation finding itself.

A nation going after a hero...

...believing that an Indian

could be the best in the world.

The one sphere where

India comes real is sport.

Between 1989 and 2013

we've had ten governments.

The television

revolution has happened.

Amidst all of this chaos,

there is one order...

There's probably

never been a player...

...who's disappointed so many people,

so seldom, over such a long period.

For India...

Sachin is not so much an icon...

...as an emotion.

- Wow... fritters... sweets!

- Hey! Did you wash your hands?

- I did... five times.

- Five times? I see...

- Here...

- Gaurav...

- Hey, Gaurav.

- Look there. A 2 rupee note!

- What?

- Look there...

Three steps to your left.

- What happened, son?

Are you alright?

- I told him to be careful,

or he'll fall into the ditch.

- But he didn't listen.

- When did you warn him?

We didn't hear anything!

I come from a very simple,

middle-class family.

My father was a Marathi professor...

...a writer and a poet, too.

Colours are lost in the sky.

Colours are lost in the sky.

Colours are spread in my eyes.

My brothers and sister,

we were very close to each other.

Music was very

important in our family.

That's why I was named...

He was very mischievous.

Children are very mischievous.

He had eaten his lunch, and...

...hid a frog in the empty lunchbox.

It was a prank for him...

...and I had no clue.

So when I opened

the box I saw a frog...

...and it immediatelyjumped out.

I inherited my industrious

nature from my mother.

She would work day and night...

...and never tire.

But I would never listen to her.

But whenever my brother

Nitin called me...

...l would immediately run back home.

Because I was scared of him.

He would run around

like he was on rollerskates.

He was never indoors.

Always on the ground.

- Always wash before eating!

Sachin would sometimes

even eat outside on the ground.

He was full of energy...

...a bundle of energy.

I played a lot of pranks.

The naughtiest thing that I did...

...was when we would deflate

all four tires of the car.

- Whoever has done this

show himself right now.

That was very naughty.

I wouldn't want anyone

to do that to my car!

- These brats have made my life hell.

- Father.

- Looks nice on you.

I remember my sister Savita...

...bringing gifts for everyone

from her trip to Kashmir.

- And for me?

- Close your eyes.

- Closed?

- Now open.

I bought a small gift for Sachin...

...just to play with.

- Right hand on the base...

...and loosen your left hand.

- And... hit the ball.

- Got it?

- SACHIN!

- It's on. Hurry up.

- Come on! Lets go.

- I was only 10 years old...

...when India reached

the 1983 World Cup Final.

- We don't have a chance.

- Look at their team.

- Holding... Roberts... Garner...

- And our team?

I didn't know the significance

of being World Champions...

...but I felt differently...

...there was a buzz in the air.

And from there on, you know, this

beautiful journey staned.

I wanted to play for India.

I wanted to play for India

and then win the World Cup.

The person who understood me best...

...and guided me,

was my brother Ajit.

Ajit was the first

to notice the talent in me...

...that spark.

He took me to Ramakant Achrekar sir.

Feels nice to be back

here at Shivaji Park again.

Brings back all the

wonderful memories.

This net is where

for the first time...

...l tried on pads, gloves,

thigh pads, et cetera... and batted.

The main reason for taking

Sachin to Achrekar sir was that...

...Achrekar sir was the

coach for Shardashram School...

...which was a champion team.

I was very tensed... nervous...

I had no clue what's

going on around me.

The season ball bounces differently...

...and the rubber ball,

obviously has more bounce.

It comes directly on to the bat,

so you can hit it better.

But I was getting the feeling that

this ball was keeping slightly low.

So I couldn't do much with it.

- He must be feeling intimidated

because you're watching.

- If you stop looking...

...he'll loosen up and stan playing.

- He plays really well.

So... this time when I looked back...

...l saw that sir wasn't

standing there anymore.

Sir had taken charge of another net.

- What did you say

your brother's name was?

Sachin Tendulkar...

What a player!

What a wonderful player!

It was a demanding routine.

Waking at 6am.

Off to school.

Reaching the ground at 3pm.

And then practice,

practice until sun-down.

Sir would take him

from one ground to another.

In fact on the same

day Sachin would...

...end up playing

in two different games.

There were times when Sachin

played for 10 consecutive days.

Days spent in Shivaji

park were very special.

Sir taught me..

...to play honestly

and with dedication.

Do not cheat.

No player is bigger than a team.

This piece of advice

became a part of my kitbag.

It helped me face the world.

- Whoever gets him out,

will get this coin.

There would be at least

80 fielders around the park...

...so it was important to

keep the ball on the ground.

I won many coins.

These are like gold medals for me.

Whenever I batted well...

...sir would give me money

to buy Vada-Pav

And I would know,

that sir was happy with me.

In fact, my breakfast was that...

...after many years these guys were

wanting to serve me Muesli et cetera...

I said no-no... keep all that aside.

I need 'vada-pav'

- Ticket.

- Hey wise-guy, who's going

to buy a ticket for your bag?

Sunil Gavaskar or Kapil Dev?

- SACHIN!

I never had time for myself...

...so my parents

and brother decided...

...that I would go and stay

with my uncle and aunt.

...who lived just 2 minutes

from the ground.

After coming back from practice,

he would first eat...

...and then I would bowl to him.

I would get tired,

but he would never get tired.

And he would say,

"Throw the ball and get me out."

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