Abhishek Bachchan On The Coach Who Taught Him The Rules Of The Game And Life: "Show Grace In Victory..."

Abhishek Bachchan is a well-known investor in Indian sports, but for him, the relationship with sports runs far deeper than ownership stakes and franchise rosters. In a conversation with Lilly Singh, the actor traced it all the way back to a school basketball court and one man who changed the way he saw everything, his Canadian coach and drama teacher the students called Dr. Dan, whose real name was Desmond Hahn, and whose lessons have never left Abhishek Bachchan's side. The affection and reverence in his voice when he speaks about Dr. Dan is immediate and unmistakable.

He revealed, "For me, it's about trying to make a difference and be of some help. And sports has taught me everything in my life. I had a great basketball coach. And as luck would have it, he was also my drama teacher. And he was Canadian. We used to call him Dr. Dan. His name was Desmond Hahn. And one of the most influential figures in my life. I'm still in touch with him. And the one review that I'm most petrified of when my film releases is Mr. Hahn's review."

He continued, "And he taught me so much about life and about never giving up and the qualities sports can teach you. First and foremost, sportsmanship. That's a life lesson in itself. To be fair, how to be sportsmanly. What you need to do to show grace in victory, to show strength in defeat. You're down two points, three seconds on the clock. It ain't over, man. Somebody's going to go out, they hit that three-pointer and you're going to win. So never give up till that final whistle. When to play defense in life, when to play offense in life. How to lean on your brothers and sisters and your teammates when you need help. It teaches you that although, like in boxing, you're inside the ring by yourself, but you also need that help of your brothers and sisters that walk shoulder to shoulder with you."

He added, "Everything about sport can teach you so much about life and so much about when you're stuck in a particular situation. There's so many times when I go back to some of the teachings that he used to tell me and think about what would I have done had I been playing a game. So for me, sports has been one of the greatest teachers." Clearly, Abhishek Bachchan took everything he learnt from Mr Hanh to heart and proceeded to carry those lessons into every corner of his life, on sets, in business, and in the quieter moments when things get hard. Dr. Dan taught him sportsmanship, resilience, and the art of knowing when to push and when to hold. Decades later, with a film career spanning generations and a growing footprint in Indian sport, Abhishek is still playing by those rules, and still waiting, a little nervously, for that one review that matters most.

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