I just do what I know. I don’t act: Sourav Ganguly

At the Cricket Association of Bengal office, in the thick of T20 season preparations and meetings, Sourav Ganguly moves between calls, instructions and last-minute logistics as Eden Gardens gears up for the next day’s match. Administrator in command, former captain at ease, television host in waiting. Yet ‘Dada’ carved out a few precision minutes for Calcutta Times for a special chat. The conversation travelled across two decades of reinvention, from leading India to leading institutions, from prime time television to parenthood. Excerpts:

In the past two decades, you have worn many hats – India captain, administrator, television host, entrepreneur, and father. Which are the roles closest to your heart? Which one tested you the most? And what still challenges you?
Of the many highlights of my life, two stand out – one is captaining India, and the other is being Sana’s father. The most challenging role has been captaining the team, but it has also been the happiest and most satisfying, along with playing for the country. When I was
young, around 14, just beginning to pick up the game, if someone had told me that I would go on to score almost 5,000 runs and lead Team India in more than 200 matches, I would have said they must be joking. So that has been the best, best, best part of my life.
Overall, I have been very happy with the way I went about the game – as a young player, as a first-class cricketer, as an Indian player, and as a captain. Later, as BCCI president, CAB president, and even doing a television show, things have gone immensely well, with God’s grace. Sana has grown up well too. So God has been really, really kind.

Eden Gardens is hallowed turf. Does it need reinvention? Or does Kolkata need a new sporting landmark altogether?
Yes, in fact, we will redo the stadium once the season finishes. We are going to add another 45,000 seats on the other side. It is a very old venue, almost 50 years old, and we want to redo it. We have just got a nine- acre plot from the government. Work will start soon. It will be a good ground, and very close to Eden Gardens. The work on the cricket academy has also already started. Infrastructure is key – be it cricket or football or any other sport.
For young sports enthusiasts and aspirants in the city, these developments must hold significance.
Absolutely. Infrastructure is everything. Without it, sports cannot grow. We already have strong facilities. You must have seen the gym, equipment, the ground, the food. Once the redevelopment is complete, it will be even better.

You have had a winning streak as a popular host and anchor on television, and you are going to reprise that role in a different format with the new season of Bigg Boss Bangla. How do you see yourself as an anchor, as an actor?
Well, I am not an actor, but I hosted the show (Dadagiri), or I conducted the show, or I was the main person in the show. I did it for 10 years, and it has done so well. I will do it again along with Bigg Boss Bangla. I don’t know how I managed it, but I did. I just do what I know. I don’t act. Whatever you see of me on television, is real. And my biggest characteristic is that I try and do the best I can. I do it with honesty, I do it with the best intentions, and I do it to do it well.

Your schedule is relentless. How do you sustain this pace?
(Smiles) It is tough. I need to slow down and I will, in the next two or three months, once the season ends. You cannot do everything forever. At some point, you have to choose and also enjoy what you do.

What inspires you most about Kolkata?
The city itself. It is my city. I know every road, every corner. It is laid back, with wonderful people. I receive love and respect here like nowhere else. I love this city. It is beautiful.

You also spend time in London with your daughter Sana...
Yes, I have a home there. But home is where your people are. For me, the best place is where the best people are. And they are here.

What do you wish for Kolkata in the coming years?
That people live happily. That the city produces champions, in sports, business, politics, films. There is immense talent here. I hope individuals emerge who make not just Kolkata, but the country proud. Above all, I want people to lead happy lives.

Kolkata is often described as laid back, sometimes not kindly. Do you see that as a drawback?
The city has its own pace. There is enough drive. Look at how many successful people emerge from here. I don’t see it as a problem.

Your biopic has been in the works for some time. When your personal life is recreated on screen, that is different from writing a book. How did you come to terms with your home and your personal space being recreated for the big screen?
I’m okay with it. This is my home. This is how I live. I think people in India know everything about me. The filmmakers wanted to recreate my journey. That’s the way it is.

Should we expect surprises?
(Smiles) You watch the film and tell me. We will talk again once it releases.
Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”