The South African cricketer is a filmy man but he won’t mind being a part of television. He talks to Karan Bhardwaj about his TV show which will be telecast on NDTV Good Times
He might have hated to become a TV commentator post retirement, unlike most of his peers, but cricketer Jonty Rhodes has no qualms in facing camera for hosting a travel show. In fact, he tells us that he sees TV as his future prospect, though it is a “nerve-wrecking” medium. “Post-retirement, I had two options, either to become a cricket expert or a commentator. I ignored both. I never imagined myself sitting on sport channels and blabbering about cricket,” he said, adding, “Films are not an option but yes, TV can happen. It was so difficult to manage even two cameramen around for this show.”
Rhodes was discussing his latest travel guide My Travel Escapades in South Africa. It is based on his experiences of taking four Indians (winners of a contest) on a two-week trip to South Africa. The same will also be broadcast in a three-part mini-series on NDTV Good Times. “I tried to show them the diversity of my country. Most people think that lions and elephants roam freely in Africa, which is not true. like India, South Africa is also growing rapidly and we have world-class infrastructure, which these guys didn’t expect. We have many languages and there is diversity in food too,” he said.
During his travel stint, Rhodes took them to Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park, Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Pezula, Amakhala Game Reserve and Durban. “It was quite an adventurous trip. In Gansbaai, which is known for white sharks, one of the boys moved out of the cage. Thankfully, we got him in again on time otherwise you can imagine how dreadful it is to have deadly sharks all around,” he said.
The cricketer, known for his jaw-dropping fielding abilities, has been appointed as South African Tourism ambassador to India. He is presently associated with IPl’s Mumbai Indians as a fielding coach. So, are you comfortable in India nowIJ “I have been coming here for years. Also, I love going out since I am an outdoor person. Although it is not safe, I move out on Mumbai roads with my Royal Enfield Classic 350. There is always a risk of getting mobbed but I cannot help it on weekends. I also drove down to the Rajasthan,” shared the 44-year-old cricketer.
Surprisingly, he is not a Bollywood fan. The last film he saw was Aamir Khan’s lagaan. “I meet film stars on different occasions but I am not a filmy person,” he confessed. But whenever he is in India, he likes to taste Indian food. His favourites are Kerala’s fish curries and Kashmir’s wazwan. He says he never sticks to western food. “Nowadays, I am having fun with masala dosas. In desserts, I like gulab jamun and kulfi,” he said.
Rhodes has also been vocal about social issues. He was six-year-old when he suffered from epilepsy. He recalled how difficult it was to keep away from the sports as he belonged to a sporty family. “My father and brother, both were rugby players. But I was not allowed to play for obvious reasons. So, I started playing hockey. But again, I had to be extra careful on the ground. Apparently, I was the only child on the cricket field wearing a helmet!” he said. later, the cricketer participated in several initiatives in creating awareness about the disease.
While talking about the two countries, he pointed out that there are a few things which India must learn from SA. “Here, people are less-engaged with social issues. In South Africa, not only citizens but also government play active role in spreading word about the issues important for the humanity. I wish same thing occurs here as well,” he suggested.
like many other international tourists, Rhodes also had his bitter experiences. “My fiance Caroline was here three years ago. She felt little threatened and uncomfortable. It was surprising when a few passers-by commented on her,” he said. He will be back in September for IPl purposes.