Bollywood Badshah salutes ‘Racquet Rani’

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and Sania Mirza at the launch of tennis ace’s autobiography in Hyderabad on Wednesday. (Photo: R. Pavan)

Sania Mirza served an Ace Against Odds in her hometown of Hyderabad on Wednesday by launching her autobiography at an erstwhile Palace turned topline hotel. Fittingly, ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ Shah Rukh Khan was the guest of honour at the function, and called the tennis ace “Racquet Ki Rani.”

Sania was understandably elated. “I have had a long and entertaining career on and off the court. I think I owed this (book) to myself and my family to present my side of the story so far,” she said.

Shah Rukh blended in the event. “I have known Sania for years and it’s with personal joy and great happiness that I attend this function. My life has been shaped by a lot of inspiring women, the foremost being my mother,” he said.

“Sania has done more than anyone to make the country proud. She, along with women like (athlete) P.T. Usha, (boxer) M.C. Mary Kom have inspired a lot of youngsters to take up sports. This book should inspire a lot of us to understand that things do happen against the odds as Sania has believed and achieved,” Shah Rukh added.

Praising Sania’s ‘pride, freshness and beauty’ Shah Rukh felt “her experiences are vital for youngsters to achieve feats against odds.” He even spoofed a famous Bollywood song. “Yeh chand sa roushan chehra, zulfon ka rang sunehra; yeh jheel si neeli aankhen, forehand itna gehra... tareef karoon kya uski, jisne tumhe banaya,” he said to laughter all around.

SRK recounted his own struggles. “To quote a cliché, there is no alternative to hard work,” he said. “You wake up in the morning and just have to work hard. If I am successful, I work hard to retain it. If I’m not, I work hard to regain it.”

The actor was in awe of Sania’s grit and determination. “I could connect with the fact that when she got injured and could no longer play singles, she turned it around in the doubles and reached the No.1 spot. We all have an emotional connect with her. Everytime Sania loses, everyone loses a bit as well,” he said.

Shah Rukh also took the opportunity to bat for the women in the country. “The more love and respect we show our girls and our ladies, we will have many more achievements like Sania’s. So usher in that era and respect women. Men pass snide comments about women but let me tell you there are no bigger achievers than women in the world,” he said.

Sania termed the three surgeries — to her wrist and both knees — as the biggest setbacks in her career. Getting over the third one, in 2010, was tough. “I was forced to stop doing something I have always wanted to — play tennis. I was so depressed and confined myself to my room most of the time. I think those two-three months were the toughest,” she recalled.

“People will get to know more about me in the book. I may look tough but am emotional too, and do cry all by myself in the bathroom,” she revealed.

Sania said she couldn’t have asked for more. “I am blessed to say that I have got so much in my life that I couldn’t even dream about. I always wanted to be no. 1 in the world and it was most gratifying when I got there. Another high point is playing at the Olympics with the entire country’s support behind me. I rank these are my biggest achievements,” she said.

“I would love to finish my career as the no. 1 in the world,” Sania signed off.