Yograj Singh calls Baahubali ‘bekar’ and Taare Zameen Par as ‘wahiyat’, dismisses Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor: ‘I don’t like Indian actors’

When asked about Taare Zameen Par, Yograj expressed strong disapproval, calling it “badi hi wahiyat film hai” (a really bad film). He further added, “Main aisi picture nahi dekhta” (I don’t watch such films). However, he clarified that while he trained Yuvraj rigorously to become a cricketer, he never raised his hand on him. The film Taare Zameen Par portrayed the journey of a child with dyslexia struggling under the pressures of a demanding father.

Yograj also shared his views on Hindi cinema, saying, “Hindi film koi dekhne ki cheez hai. I don’t like Indian actors (Hindi films aren’t worth watching).” He expressed his dislike for Indian actors, dismissing stars like Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor as well as popular films like Baahubali. “Ye sab bekar. Kya Baahubali, leave it (These are all rubbish, leave it),” he remarked. Instead, he cited Hollywood classics such as Ben Hur and The Godfather as his favourites while admitting a fondness for the Punjabi crime thriller Kohrra.

When asked if he recognized any flaws in his parenting, Yograj shared, “I once told Yuvraj, ‘I think I overdid it,’ but he responded, ‘No, no. If you hadn’t done what you did, my story wouldn’t have been written.'” Yograj also revealed that many parents approach him to train their children, but he insists they sign a document stating that he cannot be held responsible if anything happens to their child during training. “I carry life and death,” he said, underscoring the intensity of his methods.

One anecdote Yograj shared involved sending a photo of his jooti (shoe) to Yuvraj on his birthday with the caption, “I don’t think many achievements could have been possible without it.” However, he emphasized that while he may have shown his jooti to Yuvraj, he never physically beat him with it.

He also recounted a moment with his grandson Orion, Yuvraj’s son, when he spoke sternly to encourage the child to speak in Punjabi. “Yuvraj told me, ‘Dad, he will get scared,’ but I told him to back off. Now, Orion and I talk on the phone in Punjabi,” Yograj said with pride.

In earlier interviews, Yuvraj Singh had opened up about his father’s tough love. He revealed that as a child, he was a roller skating enthusiast and even won a gold medal in the under-14 national championships. However, Yograj forced him to quit the sport to focus on cricket, even throwing out Yuvraj’s medal and skates. Yuvraj also recounted undergoing gruelling training sessions from a very young age under his father’s watchful eye.