Would Love to do a Sports-Centric Film: Ranbir Kapoor

Mumbai: Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, who is set to play a football match for a cause, says he would love to do a sports-centric film which tells the inspirational story of any Indian athlete.

If he had to do a film on a sportsperson, who would it be and why?

"It's a tough question! We've a lot of athletes in the country and every story is worth listening to (and) will inspire others. I would personally love to do a sports-centric film sometime on any athlete who has made the nation proud," Ranbir told IANS in an email interaction.

The actor is one of the 18 Bollywood celebrities from the All-Star Football Club (ASFC), including Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan and Dino Morea, who will play a friendly match to support Magic Bus Foundation's goal to help 2,000 underprivileged children.

Magic Bus Foundation has associated with crowd-funding platform ImpactGuru.com in an initiative backed by GS Worldwide Entertainment to create awareness and raise funds for underprivileged children in 77 districts across 22 Indian states. The campaign, #GivingGoals, aims to raise Rs 60 lakh towards these programmes

Ranbir is an ardent football fan.

"Everything about football excites us (ASFC members)! Playing induces adrenaline, explains the basics of teamwork and its importance. As a viewer too, it is the most involving game for audiences. Every minute, every second of it has something exciting for both the players and audiences," Ranbir said.

The film industry keeps playing friendly sports matches off and on for noble causes.

"Sports in India is picking up and growing exponentially as a culture. We're lucky to be a part of this process and it makes us proud whenever we can contribute to this positive trend," added the actor, who is training hard to beat his seasoned opponents, who he believes have an "athletic edge" over his team.

There's an opportunity for fans of AFSC stars to join the celebrities in raising funds.

Jayant Rastogi, CEO, Magic Bus India Foundation, is overwhelmed by the support pouring in from some of the well-known celebrities of Indian cinema.

"We have been fighting against poverty by ensuring children and young adults have a holistic education. Through this association, we hope to continue developing the skills today's children require for a secure, stable and bright career," he said.

Celebrity support in coming together to mobilise their fans from around the world to raise funds for a cause is heartening, said ImpactGuru.com's CEO and Co-founder Piyush Jain.