First, I was at the Oscars. That needs its own space in my consciousness and I will tell everybody about it in a separate article.

Then I landed up in London for the shoot of Goal. I knew it was going to be an intense experience, but not as close as I eventually did. To begin with, I landed in London on a very cold evening. The next day, I went into shooting, and the temperatures were at about – 4 deg C at night.

I spent the first few days slamming the ball about in the middle of the night for a number of days. I didn’t realize how bad this could be, till my legs gave way. Andy Ansah, my football choreographer (and now, staunch friend and critic) and my physiotherapist Shakey suggested that I meet a podiatrist. I ended up meeting some of the nicest people in the game.

My medial tibia was damaged. And every specialist said that surgery might be an answer, but I took the soft option: acupuncture. The images of me with pins sticking out of my legs might be entertaining or disturbing. So they will stay in my memory and archives. I ended up spending about 20 sessions of massages and electro-therapy, where I had electrodes stuck into my leg and the doctors told me to increase the electric current going through my legs at my discretion. Mike Ryan, a man who has trained some of the best actors in the business was constantly at my side. As much as I like to make this sound heroic, it was the need of the hour. Every soccer player ends up doing that at some point of his life. Watford team’s physiotherapist, (another chap called Andy) helped me through as best he could and I am immensely thankful.

Bipasha surprised me yet again. I have worked with her a number of times, but I couldn’t help watching her perform with quiet astonishment. She is in the best shape of her life and suits the physicality of the role perfectly. Bipasha thinks I have changed over the past few years, since she worked with me last. Apparently I am more focused on my job. Perhaps, ruthlessly so. In her words, I am like a horse with blinkers; single-minded and earnest. That’s good enough for me, I guess.

Most importantly, I got to know a few of the local lads of Asian origin. The theme of the movie involves an Asian lad torn between the country of his birth and the country of his origin. I spent a while trying to understand the dichotomies that rage within these young people: conflicted between two extremely diverse cultures, without the benefit of social guidance.

I have often wondered why underground cultures like the Asian sub-culture in the US and UK emerge, and I am beginning to get a closer look at them. I hope the film can capture and portray a semblance of reason for these affected youth. Goal is a film that should inspire young people everywhere, who are separated from their roots. Be it Asian, Middle Eastern or wherever. Soccer is just a means to that end.

In the three months that I was in London, I did find myself devoid of friends and family. I was glad to have Bipasha by my side. But I was glad to meet people who know me from my website. I was glad to meet Venetia at last; a meeting that I will cherish. I spent an evening with her and her husband Alan, a man whose hand I would be privileged to shake again.

But an evening spent poring over Venetia’s illustrations is an evening well spent. I can never be more humbled than by the intricacy and the humanity she brings to her illustrations. Especially the way she draws my eyes. I would love to be the man that she makes me out to be. I also met Vaishali, Eve, Nikki, Sarah and Sudha. They were some of the best company I have had, in what could have been a very lonely trip to a strange city. There were others, and I only have myself to blame for not remembering their names. You know who you are, and I love you.

I ended the trip with watching a premiere of ‘Life in a Metro’. It was an interesting experience. I have mostly enjoyed the anonymity which a foreign city provides me. Bipasha and I love to go shopping in London without the benefit of a security detail. But at the ‘Metro’ premiere, I breezed out of the venue after the show and was promptly mobbed by visitors. Mike helped me wade through the crowd and reach my car. His enduring complaint so far has been, “Oi! You never told me you were famous.” Well, I would like to be. And as long as I have friends like all mentioned above, I will probably be spared the feeling of being alone in a strange city.