'Sushant Singh Rajput didn't look very confident': Shoaib Akhtar recalls meeting MS Dhoni biopic star
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has recollected his first and only meeting with the late Sushant Singh Rajput in 2016, and has expressed regret at the fact that he didn't make an effort to speak to the MS Dhoni biopic star.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar said that he was in Mumbai when he ran into the Bollywood actor, who 'went past him with his head down'.
“I met him in Mumbai when I was about to leave India in 2016. To be honest, he did not look very confident to me. He went past me with his head down. A friend told me that he is doing MS Dhoni’s film,” said Shoaib Akhtar.
“I thought I will have to watch his acting now. He has come from a humble background and he is making a good film. The film did turn out to be successful but I regret not stopping him there and having a word with him about life. I could have shared experiences of my life with him, maybe I could have talked to him like the way I do which could have given him a broad spectrum in life. But I regret not talking to him,” he added.
Shoaib Akhtar on nepotism in cricket
The fast bowler also spoke about nepotism in cricket and stated that he himself had to struggle to make a name for himself in the international circuit.
“When I came into the side there was Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis who were like Salman Khan and Shahrukh only… So I had to really put in the hard yards to make a name for myself,” Shoaib Akhtar stated.
The 44-year-old also said that suicide is never the answer to any problem, and rued the sad truth that Rajput didn't have people to talk to.
“Ending your life should never be an option. Setbacks are an asset in life but when you know you have problems you should discuss it. I think Sushant also needed help,” said Akhtar.
On June 14, talented actor Sushant Singh Rajput tragically committed suicide at his residence in Mumbai. His untimely death has sent shockwaves across the country, with many people claiming that Rajput was ostracised from Bollywood due to the industry's prevalent nepotism.