Boman Irani turns 'cameraman' at Wankhede stadium

Chief guest Boman Irani shoots the on-field action at the Wankhede yesterday

Bollywood actor Boman Irani is a true blue sports fan, and yesterday cherished his visit as chief guest on Day One of the three-day MSSA inter-school Giles Shield final between Don Bosco (Matunga) and Rizvi Springfield (Bandra) at the Wankhede Stadium.

"It's great to see these kids play. I remember going to watch schools cricket, football matches and clicking pictures many years ago," said Irani, who did the toss honours and later spoke to the players from both teams. Irani has always had a love for photography. He recalled a funny incident at one of Mumbai's maidans several years ago. "Once, while clicking pictures, unknowingly I went very close to the wicket, and Eknath Solkar, who was the coach of one of the teams, came running towards me. I picked up my bag and started to run away.

Irani captures a fine take down the leg side by the Don Bosco 'keeper

"He later called me and I apologised. That's when I learnt that he was actually calling me because he wanted the photographs of his players that I had captured. He was fine gentleman," recalled Irani, who has officially covered a world boxing event in the city. "I covered the 1990 Boxing World Cup in Mumbai as a photographer thanks to Aspy Adajania, then president of the Indian Amateur Boxing Association.

"It so happened that I was keen on covering the tournament, but since I was not affiliated to any newspaper or magazine, I went up to Mr Adajania and showed him some photographs I had shot of the Western India Boxing Championship at University Pavilion, and requested him to let me cover the World Cup. "He liked my pictures and agreed. I remember, I was very thrilled when I got the accreditation badge and jacket," Irani concluded.

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