All set to attend the Olympic Games Paris 2024, actor Taapsee Pannu calls it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. For the unversed, Pannu is going there to cheer for husband Mathias Boe, who has been coaching Indian badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy since 2021.
“I don’t think I can go there in the capacity of an athlete,” she quips, and reveals, “I first met Mathias when he had already come back from the Olympics after winning his medal (in 2012). And the next Olympics he took part in as an athlete, I didn’t want to attend because I get really stressed watching him play.”
Also Read: Taapsee Pannu reveals why her wedding suit was not from a big fashion designer: ‘My college friend made my outfit’
Pannu, who got married to the Danish Olympic silver medallist in March this year, adds that this is the perfect year for her to witness the Olympic Games.
“Now that he is a coach for our country’s team, and Satvik and Chirag are probably one of the best contenders to bring an Olympic medal, I feel more motivated and excited to attend this one and cheer for them. Also, it falls around my birthday (August 1), so I guess these are enough and more reasons for me to be at the Olympics,” the 36-year-old tells us.
The actor will reach Paris on July 29, and she’s gutted that the team would have played two of their group matches by then. “But, I am hopeful they will play finals, hence I’ve booked my return tickets after the finals of men’s doubles,” says Pannu, who dated Boe for several years before finally tying the knot.
The actor further shares that though there’s “nothing special” planned in terms of birthday celebrations, she’s hoping it to be extra special. “That day, the team plays the quarter finals for men’s doubles in badminton. I hope the celebration happens with a victory there. That will be the best birthday gift,” she says.
Other than cheering for Indian badminton team, Pannu shares that she is looking forward to celebrate other sports beyond cricket that “don’t get the kind of attention they deserve.”
She elaborates, “We don’t really get to see so many sports or have access, or awareness to so many of them in comparison to how much we indulge in cricket. So, I just want to be a part of those sports as an audience.”
Also Read: HT City Exclusive | Taapsee Pannu: My success is not a fluke, I worked really hard and pushed myself every single day
Given that Pannu’s filmography boasts of a slew of sports films including Soorma (2018), Saand Ki Aankh (2019), Rashmi Rocket (2021), Looop Lapeta (2022) and Shabaash Mithu (2022), we ask her the one sport she’d like to pick if she ever gets a chance to represent India at the Olympics.
“The only sport I can say I enjoy playing a lot is squash. I know I don’t have a level anywhere close to what these athletes have, who professionally play squash. So, probably I will become their biggest cheerleader in the next edition when squash officially becomes a part of Olympics,” she wraps up.
